EPA Proposes New Emission, Fuel Economy Targets for Heavy Trucks

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Dept. of Transportation propose a new round of emission and fuel economy standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

The new standards also would apply to heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans and all types and sizes of buses and work trucks. The agencies claim the regulation would eventually lower greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons and fuel costs by $170 billion.

The agencies plan two hearings later this year to gather public comment about the measures.

Medium and heavy trucks represent only 5% of vehicles on American roads but contribute 23% of U.S. transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to DOT and EPA. They cite an estimate that oil consumption and greenhouse emissions by heavy trucks worldwide will surpass that of passenger vehicles by 2030.

The proposed rules would follow phase-one standards for 2014-2018 that truckmakers began to implement in the U.S. last year. The new standards would reduce heavy-truck CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption as much as 13% by 2021, 20% by 2024 and 24% by 2027 compared with a 2017 baseline. The regulation would introduce new test procedures.

The agencies also propose separate standards for highway trailers intended to make them more aerodynamic and efficient to haul.

DOT and EPA estimate a truck purchased in 2027 would save enough fuel to pay for the cost of meeting the new standards in less than two years.