1. What are “tiny cars” and what did President Trump announce about them?
Mr. Trump announced approval for “tiny cars” — compact vehicles similar to Japanese Kei cars that are popular throughout Asia — to be built in America. He posted on Truth Social that manufacturers have long wanted to produce these vehicles in the U.S., describing them as “inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient” and saying they can be powered by gasoline, electric, or hybrid engines.
2. What barriers previously prevented these cars from being built in the United States?
The source material indicates there were regulatory barriers preventing the production of these compact vehicles in the U.S., but specific details about what those barriers were are not provided. Mr. Trump said he directed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to drop these barriers, and Duffy stated the administration would “clear the deck, clear the rules” to allow manufacturers to build these small cars.
3. Who would benefit from these vehicles and why?
Mr. Duffy indicated these vehicles would be ideal for city driving and would provide a “much more affordable” option compared to other vehicles currently on the market. Mr. Trump described them as similar to the classic Volkswagen Beetle, calling them “very small and really cute,” suggesting they would appeal to consumers looking for economical urban transportation.
SEE ALSO: Trump’s all in for tiny cars in America
4. What other vehicle regulation changes did Mr. Trump announce at the same time?
Mr. Trump rolled back the Biden-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards during the same Oval Office announcement. These standards regulate how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of gas in order to reduce oil consumption and emissions.
5. When can manufacturers start producing these vehicles?
Trump urged manufacturers to “START BUILDING THEM NOW” and described these as “cars of the very near future.” Mr. Duffy told CNBC that if there’s a market for these vehicles, the administration wants to give manufacturers the opportunity to build them, though no specific timeline for production was provided in the announcement.
Read more: Trump’s all in for tiny cars in America
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