Policy

US Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson yesterday unveiled detailed proposals for a single national vehicle fuel efficiency and emissions standard.

Currently carmakers have to adhere to three separate standards set out by the DOT, EPA and individual states. Earlier this summer, President Barack Obama charged the DOT, EPA and industry to come up with a new standard.

The new standard would set out miles per gallon requirements for light-duty vehicles under NHTSA’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (CAFE) programme and the first national emissions standards under the EPA’s greenhouse gas programme. The requirements would meet federal standards, as well as those that have been set by California and other states.

The proposed rules, which would cover model years 2012-2016, would increase fuel economy by 5% every year, saving the average driver over $3000 a year in fuel costs and conserving 1.8 million barrels of oil. The corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be nearly 950 million metric tons.

By 2016, the new standard would require the light-duty vehicle fleet to meet an estimated combined average emission level of 250 g of CO₂ per mile and achieve fuel efficiency of 35.5 mpg.

The targets would reach Congress’ fuel economy goal of 35.0 mpg four years early and surpass the CAFE regulations passed by Congress two years ago.

However, the new standards fall short of Europe’s target of 130 g/km, which will be phased in over a three-year period starting in 2012.

“The increases in fuel economy and the reductions in greenhouse gases we are proposing today would bring about a new era in automotive history,” said Transportation Secretary LaHood.

The new standards would mean a 21% reduction in CO₂ emissions from the US light-duty vehicle fleet by 2030 over current standards.

“By bringing together a broad coalition of stakeholders – including an unprecedented partnership with American automakers… we’ve taken the historic step of proposing the nation’s first ever greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles,” said EPA Administrator Jackson.

The proposals are now open for comments for the next 60 days.

For further information:
www.epa.gov/otaq/climate/regulations.htm
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.43ac99aefa80569eea57529cdba046a0/

Related stories:
US sets tough targets for fuel efficiency (19-May)
Doubling of fuel efficiency possible by 2050 (5-Mar)
EU agrees compromise on car emission targets (3-Dec 2008)