Consumer demand is based on gas prices, not fuel economy standards. In 2008, when gas prices were over $4 a gallon, consumers abandoned SUVs for fuel efficient cars. Since then, gas prices have gone down and SUV sales have gone up. It's the fear of losing the profit margins from SUV sales that is driving this statement from Mark Fields.
Bonus snark:
Fuel economy rules have nothing to do with consumer demand. Most consumers can't even afford the vehicle they own.
I'm sure this is being overly dramatic and I'm confident that Trump will claim he saved 1 million jobs by abolishing the EPA. I would argue that the need to comply with regulations creates more jobs for engineers and other technical people who have to solve the problems.
Personally, I would rather just see the federal government increase the gas tax and let everything else fall where it may. We haven't increased the federal gas tax since 1993, and it's fixed at 18.4 cents per gallon, not a percentage of purchase price. With so many politicians on both sides of the aisle whining about our "crumbling infrastructure," it seems like this would be a reasonable way to inject some money to get some projects done.
I agree on principle - the discussion would center on by how much to increase it.
Affordable gas and oil generally seems to do more good for the economy than expensive gas and oil (cheap gas and oil is directly linked to my personal quality of life in fact even though I could afford higher prices), so I wouldn't argue for a gas tax measured in dollars.