Following President Trump’s announcement to definitively end the “horrible and ridiculous” emissions standards championed by the previous administration, major US automakers threw a victory party. Attending the White House ceremony were CEOs from Ford and Stellantis, including Jim Farley and Antonio Filosa, alongside top brass from General Motors.
The celebration was immediate. Farley called the move the “victory of common sense,” while Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa was ecstatic, declaring it the day “rules reconcile with real demand”. Filosa was quick to link the new regulations to a massive investment plan: Stellantis has committed $13 billion over the next four years into its core North American brands, Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler, vowing to boost production and job creation.
This new regulatory environment essentially throws a lifeline to big, profitable internal combustion engines. Filosa noted that the top-selling Ram 1500 relies heavily on large combustion engines like the Hurricane six-cylinder and the beloved HEMI V8. With government incentives for electric vehicles drying up, Filosa is confident the North American brands can finally claw back market share lost over the last five years, a period marked by the company’s struggles with aggressive electrification and strict emissions limitations.
The change is drastic. The previous CAFE standards, pushed by the Biden administration, demanded that automakers achieve a fleet-wide average of 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031, an objective nearly impossible without mass electrification. Trump’s counter-proposal is a far more lenient 34.5 mpg average by 2031. This significantly lower target is achievable simply by improving combustion engine efficiency, eliminating the immediate pressure to switch to money-losing EVs.
Speaking later in London, Filosa expressed confidence that the more permissive rules will aid his efforts to revitalize brands hampered by over-regulation. He asserted that the company’s “mix”, the variety of powertrains offered, will significantly improve, allowing them to meet consumer choice rather than regulatory mandates. The V8 lives on, and affordable choice is back in the driver’s seat.
