DETROIT (AP) — Nissan says it will no longer support the Trump administration in its legal fight to end California’s ability to set its own auto-pollution and gas-mileage standards.
The announcement Friday is another sign that a coalition of automakers backing the outgoing administration is fracturing.
GM EO Mary Barra said in a letter to environmental groups that the car company would no longer support the Trump administration in its defense against a lawsuit over its efforts against California’s standards. And GM urged other automakers to do the same.
Nissan said it’s pulling out because of its confidence that discussions between the industry, California and the administration of President-elect Joe Biden can develop one national standard.
GM and Nissan were part of a coalition of 13 automakers that joined the Trump administration’s legal fight.
Automakers prep for stronger mileage standards under Biden
Now that it’s clear Joe Biden soon will be president, the fight over automobile pollution and fuel efficiency standards is likely to peter out, and U.S. consumers should see a broader selection of electric and efficient vehicles.
But just how wide those choices will be and when they will come depends a lot on how negotiations go between the new administration and a fractured industry.
At a board meeting Tuesday, the industry's trade association, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, recognized that change is coming.
Experts say there likely will be stronger requirements under Biden. But the new technology will push prices up, and dealers fear that buyers will still prefer SUVs and trucks.
