Biden unveils latest attempt to eliminate gas cars in effort to force all Americans to switch to electric vehicles by 2032

• New cars will have to average 65 miles per gallon within eight years – a 33% increase
• This comes after the Democratic senator criticized the launch of the charging point, describing it as “pathetic.”

Joe Biden has dealt another major blow to America’s gas-powered car manufacturers after his faltering rollout of electric vehicle charging points was criticized as “pathetic.”

The Department of Transportation has told automakers they have eight years to squeeze another 16 miles per gallon out of their vehicles if they want to keep operating — while the fuel efficiency of their trucks has to double.

Friday’s order came just weeks after the Environmental Protection Agency lowered limits on tailpipe emissions as part of the White House’s pledge to ensure that more than half of all new cars sold are electric by 2032.

But the administration admitted last week that only seven electric vehicle charging stations have been built since the $5 billion program was signed in 2021.

“This is pathetic,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said at a Senate hearing on Wednesday. “There is something terribly wrong and it needs to be fixed.”

The latest rules impose limits on average miles per gallon across manufacturers’ entire product lines, so if they make more electric cars, they will find it easier to meet the goals.

Passenger cars will have to average 65 miles per gallon by 2031, up from 48.7 miles today.

Pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles will have to average 45 miles instead of 35.1 miles today.

But pickup trucks and large heavy-duty trucks will have to nearly double their fuel efficiency from 18.8 to 35 miles per gallon.

The tough new regulations aim to save nearly eight billion tonnes of carbon emissions by mid-century, and have been welcomed by environmentalists and health campaigners.

“Today’s final rule is another important step toward reducing carbon pollution and curbing climate change,” said Harold Weimer of the American Lung Association.

But 25 red states have filed a lawsuit challenging new exhaust rules that they fear will destroy jobs.

“The Biden administration is willing to sacrifice the American auto industry and its workers to serve its extreme green agenda,” Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said.

“We’re not buying it.” Demand for electric vehicles continues to decline, and even those who want to buy one cannot afford one amid historic inflation.

Electric vehicles accounted for just 7.6 percent of new car sales last year, and the market has faltered in recent months as electric vehicles remain about $6,000 more expensive than a similar gas-powered vehicle.

The average price of a model fell nine percent last year, but it still cost an average of $55,252 in April, according to industry bible Kelley Blue Book.

In some states, electric cars account for as little as 3 per cent of new car sales, and a survey last month revealed that owners are driving them 20 per cent less than petrol cars amid fears that a lack of charging points could leave their drivers stranded.

Biden’s $1 trillion inflation reduction law introduced a goal of creating 500,000 charging points across the US by 2030 but fewer than 183,000 were operational by the beginning of this year.

“Range concerns and charging infrastructure are top priorities for electric vehicle drivers, and these factors will likely limit how far owners will drive them,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.

The problems arising from this technology mean that drivers face 79 percent more problems than those who use combustion engines, according to a Consumer Reports survey conducted last April that included more than 330,000 car owners.

EV owners most often reported issues with the battery and charging systems as well as defects in body panels and the fit of interior parts, the research said.

The battle over electric cars looks set to move to center stage ahead of the presidential election in November, with Donald Trump dismissing Biden’s goals as a “new green scam.”

The Republican promised to reverse Biden’s climate policies, including federal subsidies for electric vehicles.

“We want to get rid of the electric vehicle mandate,” he told a crowd in Arizona on Thursday.

“If you want to buy a different type of car, you should have a choice.”

Drivers have four main demands for electric vehicle manufacturers according to an April survey by market analysts Edmunds — lower prices, higher ranges, a better selection of models and more offerings from trusted brands.

“The electric vehicle market is growing, but consumers have enough reservations about current options and infrastructure challenges to limit further growth in the short term,” analyst Jessica Caldwell said.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg defended the new emissions standards.

“Not only will these new standards save Americans money at the stations every time the stations are full, they will also reduce harmful pollution and make America less dependent on foreign oil,” he said in a statement.

“These standards will save car owners more than $600 in gasoline costs over the life of their vehicle.”