Trump administration suffers kickback from automakers after new fuel efficiency proposal

US President Donald Trump's efforts to make the country's market automaker-friendly by putting a cap on the federal fuel efficiency standards might have kicked back. 

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM) which includes major automobile makers such as Ford, BMW, Fiat Chrysler, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo, and others issued a statement on Saturday issued a statement stating their concerns over the new proposal. 

Automakers were not specifically happy when Obama rolled out the federal fuel efficiency plans in 2012 according to which the fuel efficiency for all the vehicles would continue to rise through 2025 to 57 mpg. However, the manufacturers are not happy with the current proposal either. 

Here's the complete statement issued by the AAM: 

Automakers support continued improvements in fuel economy and flexibilities that incentivize advanced technologies while balancing priorities like affordability, safety, jobs, and the environment. With today's release of the Administration's proposals, it's time for substantive negotiations to begin. We urge California and the federal government to find a common-sense solution that sets continued increases in vehicle efficiency standards while also meeting the needs of America's drivers.

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed to roll back federal fuel efficiency requirement for passenger vehicles at the 2020 model year level of 35 mpg instead of letting them continue to rise through 2025 to nearly 50 mpg as planned by the Obama administration. 

The proposal also suggested revoking the 1975 law that provides California with a waiver from federal rules allowing it to implement stringent standards compared to rest of the country. 

The draft rule which was jointly written by the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) includes a range of options for modifying the fleet fuel economy end emission standards. However, it also makes it clear that the preferences are to freeze the standards at the 2020 model year. 

The new proposal, if implemented after a public comment period, would majorly weaken former President Barack Obama's far-reaching policy intended to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute towards global warming. 

Several environmentalists and lawmakers from all over the country criticized the move. Jerry Brown said his state "will fight this stupidity in every conceivable way possible."

Under the current rules, standards vary by the model based on a size footprint. The proposal to revoke, however, was widely accepted as the implementation would help harmonize the execution of national programs. The lack of such a unified law, automakers of the country face the expense of building and marketing vehicles for two different markets which may result in losing sales of some models in certain states.