NHTSA on a "one-way" route towards EV Future

September 7, 2023

The IL Corn Growers Association is calling on the agricultural industry to submit comments to the docket regarding a proposal released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). The goal would require an industry fleet-wide average of approximately 58 miles per gallon for cars and light duty trucks by model year 2032. It would also require a 10 percent increase in fuel efficiency for heavy-duty trucks and vans year over year.

 

The proposal would additionally decimate corn demand, costing American farmers nearly one-billion bushels of corn annually by 2033.

“Electric vehicles, in my opinion, are a great concept, but we’re not where we need to be yet,” said District 4 ICGA Board Member Cliff Lane. “A large truck hauling grain to the elevator is not really feasible at this point in time.”

The ambitious goal was included in NHTSA’s new proposal for Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards or CAFE standards. CAFE standards regulate how far passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks must travel on one gallon of fuel. The agency is also responsible for regulating fuel consumption standards for heavy duty trucks and engines.

 

The proposed fuel economy standards are written to complement and align with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently proposed emissions standards for similar vehicle fleets. An analysis by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln reports when taking into account production technology and cash rental rates, the EPA’s proposal could decrease farmland value by up to 32%.

 

Can your family farm stand to lose one-billion bushels of corn annually?

 

Submit comments to the docket regarding NHTSA’s unfair proposal here. Want to learn more? Watch this video with ICGA Board member Cliff Lane as he shares how NHTSA’s goal would impact his family’s farm.

The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.
By Lyndi Allen July 3, 2025
Illinois corn farmers will be impacted by many provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill that passed in both chambers this week.
By Tara Desmond July 3, 2025
Mid-Year Highlights: IL Corn Top 10 Read Stories
A map of the world with arrows pointing to trade countries
By Lyndi Allen July 3, 2025
Trade plays a critical role in driving demand for U.S. corn—not only as grain or feed, but also as fuel.
Top Videos of 2025
By Tara Desmond July 2, 2025
Harvesting the Best: A Look at IL Corn’s Top 10 Videos of 2025
By Lindsay Croke June 30, 2025
When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.
The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.
By Lyndi Allen June 27, 2025
From Springfield to D.C., lawmakers are listening, and Illinois corn farmers are leading the conversations.
Show More