Regulations that will fundamentally change the vehicles that Detroit's automakers build and sell were passed by the Senate Thursday night, by an 86-8 vote. The approval of the historic, national energy bill sets the strictest fuel efficiency regulations the auto industry has seen in decades.
Fuel efficiency requirements will increase 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Automakers will have to meet the new regulations starting in 2011.
The bill now goes back to the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said it will be approved and sent to the White House for President George Bush's signature.
In addition to the fuel efficiency requirements, the legislation also pumps up ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022 and imposes new requirements to promote efficiency in appliances, lighting and buildings.
Senate Democrats stripped out requirements that utilities produce 15 percent of their energy from renewable resources by 2020 and also agreed to drop $21.8 billion in new taxes, mostly on oil companies, to try get approval.
