July 26, 2019—Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda have struck up a deal with California to adopt vehicle emissions rules, defying the Trump Administration’s plan to strip the state of that right, reports the Huffington Post.
“Ensuring that America’s vehicles are efficient, safe and affordable is a priority for us all,” the automakers said in a joint statement that described the accord with California as a move to maintain a nationwide set of fuel efficiency requirements.
In Aug. 2018, the White House proposed revoking California’s legal right to impose its own state emissions standards or require a rising number of electric vehicles, and argues that federal law should preempt California from setting its own emissions rules.
More than a dozen states have adopted California’s emission standards. These states include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.
Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, said other automakers could also adopt the standards if they choose.
