US NHTSA proposes updated fuel economy standards

4 August 2023

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a proposal to update corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light trucks. The proposal is applicable to passenger cars and light trucks for model years (MY) 2027-2032 and to heavy-duty pickup trucks and work vans (HDPUV) with GVWR of more than 8,500 lbs and less than 14,001 lbs for model years 2030-2035.

The time frame of the proposed passenger car and light truck standards, 2027-2032, is consistent with the time frame of the proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for GHG emissions from light-duty vehicles. However, due to restrictions on the number of model years for which NHTSA may set standards, the standards for MY 2032 are ‘augural’, i.e., they are NHTSA’s estimate of what the agency would propose if it had the authority to set CAFE standards for more than five years in one action, but are not binding.

Due to statutory lead time constraints for HDPUV standards, NHTSA’s proposal for HDPUV standards must begin with MY 2030. There is no restriction on the number of model years for which NHTSA may set HDPUV standards, so none of the HDPUV standards are augural.

The fuel efficiency standards for MY 2027-31 passenger cars and light trucks increase at a rate of 2% per year for passenger cars and 4% per year for light trucks. The proposed augural standards for MY 2032 would increase at 2% for passenger cars and 4% for light trucks year over year, as compared to the prior year’s standards.

The proposed fuel efficiency standards for HDPUVs for MYs 2030-2035 increase at a rate of 10% per year.

NHTSA projects that the proposed standards would require an industry fleet-wide average for passenger cars and light trucks of about 58 mpg in MY 2032 and an industry fleet-wide average for HDPUVs of roughly 2.6 gallons per 100 miles in MY 2038.

A 60-day public comment period will begin after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

Source: US NHTSA