I assume it doesn't help that the term doesn't particularly make sense from the perspective of biology. Sun elves are a different race than other elves... but are they a different race than a dwarf?
Species makes much more sense, though they can interbreed. Optimally, fantasy should invent a new world altogether, but that's a clunky hassle.
If the different kinds of elves are described as different species, it's no more BS than "races".
Note:
"members of different species either won't or can't mate with one another, or, if they do, the resulting offspring are often sterile, unviable, or suffer some other sort of reduced fitness"
Anything that can interbreed well isn't a different species, and yet, dwarves and elves being merely different races is genetically questionable (not in the least because of the different buffs different species get). Either way, it's somewhat stupid. I can't say I really care if a fantasy world has a different definition of "species" than our world. Race implies a very close genetic overlap, it's certainly never been accurate or ideal.
I'm sure /someone/ is behind the change, but I suspect STEM majors.
