US EPA/NHTSA to develop Phase 2 GHG and fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles
19 February 2014
US President Obama directed the Environmental Protection agency (EPA) and the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop and issue the second phase of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards, applicable to vehicle model years beyond 2018.
The agencies have been directed to issue the final Phase 2 GHG and fuel economy standards by March 2016. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is expected to be issued by March 2015.
Phase 1 GHG and fuel economy standards for heavy- and medium-duty vehicles were adopted in April 2011. The regulation covers all on-road vehicles rated at a GVW ≥ 8,500 lbs, and the engines that power them (except those already covered by the light-duty GHG/CAFE regulations). The Phase 1 standards, phased-in over the period of 2014-2017, are expected to reduce GHG emissions by about 10%. Most manufacturers met the Phase 1 2014 requirements ahead of the regulatory deadlines.
No particulars were issued on the intended Phase 2 regulation. The potential changes may include more stringent standards to force new technologies (such as waste heat recovery, advanced transmissions, hybridization and intelligent vehicle controls), introduction of chassis dynamometer testing and/or adopting a more sophisticated simulation compliance tool (Phase 1 compliance is based on a rather simplified computer model with few input variables). The EPA was also considering the possibility of dropping the stand-alone engine standards from Phase 2 regulations.
In addition to the GHG/fuel economy program, President Obama announced other initiatives:
- The President has called on Congress to repeal the $4 billion in annual subsidies for the oil and gas industry and to enact reforms to promote oil and gas development on federal lands. Drawn from revenues generated from federal oil and gas development, a $2 billion Energy Security Trust would be established to support the development of future technologies, including advanced vehicle and fuel technologies.
- The President proposed to extend the cellulosic biofuel producer credit that expired on December 31, 2013.
Source: The White House