Letter from the US: Biden calls time on petroleum-fuelled vehicles
Rules mandating EV sales will transform the US automotive industry, but there are significant practical and judicial challenges
The Biden administration introduced rules in mid-April mandating that electric vehicles (EVs) comprise 60pc of new US vehicles sold by 2030 and 67pc by 2032. The rules will essentially regulate internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) out of business by being so stringent that car companies will not be able to comply. However, sales will likely fall well short of the administration’s targets, with the EIA forecasting that EVs’ share of US vehicle stocks will increase from 1pc in 2021 to only 9pc in 2050. And the regulation could create a host of problems unless technological progress makes EVs categorically cheaper and more convenient to use than their gasoline equivalents, prompting lawy
Also in this section
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy
22 January 2026
New long-term deal is latest addition to country’s rapidly evolving supply portfolio as it eyes role as regional gas hub






