One of the signature deregulatory moves by the Trump administration has been the attempt to freeze the Obama administration's increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards requiring rapid increased fuel economy for new cars to combat climate change.
The Trump administration is also suing the State of California to block CARB from using its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions directly.
Environmentalists argue that climate change will bring economic costs and that the technology to meet Obama's targets exists already today (modern hybrids get nearly double the target). The Trump administration has argued that freezing the new standards will save consumers money and promote slightly heavier (and therefore marginally safer) cars.
A new analysis by respected consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports challenges the first of the administration's claims, showing that increased demand for fuel will more than offset the savings in vehicle purchases, costing consumers hundreds of billions of dollars.
It turns out spending less soon gas saves you money. Who would have thought.