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Federal Fuel Economy and Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Cars and Light-Duty Trucks

Most Recent Action

The EPA and the NHTSA have finalized standards that will increase average fuel economy requirements for cars and light-duty trucks to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

 

Background

Model Years 2012-2016 Standards

On May 7, 2010 the Obama Administration issued a final joint rule to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase fuel economy for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. The EPA coordinated with the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to propose standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles, covering model years 2012 through 2016.

The EPA set federal emissions standards for greenhouse gases using its authority granted to it by the U.S. Supreme Court (Massachusetts v. EPA). NHTSA set related fuel economy standards under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The purpose is to allow auto manufacturers the ability to build a single light-duty national fleet significantly reduces greenhouse gases.

The standards apply to passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles, covering model years 2012-2016, equivalent to 35.5 miles per gallon if the automotive industry were to meet this CO2 level all through fuel economy improvements.

Model Years 2017-2025 Standards

On July 29, 2011, President Obama announced joint rulemaking would also take place, for model years 2017-2025. Theproposed standards were published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2011. The final standards were announced in August 2012 and finalized in October 2012.

The EPA set an average carbon dioxide limit of 163 grams per mile by 2025, which would equate to 54.5 miles per gallon if emissions are reduced primarily through fuel economy improvements.

The NHTSA will require automobile manufacturers to achieve a fleetwide average of 41 mpg in 2021. Prior to the 2022 model year, the NHTSA will complete a second review of standards, subject to a separate notice and comment period, that is projected to increase the fleetwide average to something between 48.7 mpg and 49.7 mpg in 2025.

The EPA and the NHTSA estimate the rule will increase the average price of a vehicle by $1,800 in 2025. However, consumers would save an estimated $5,700 to $7,400 in gasoline over the life of the vehicle.

The agencies predict the rule will save 4 billion barrels of oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2 billion metric tons.

The rule includes targeted incentives to encourage early adoption and introduction into the marketplace of advanced technologies to dramatically improve vehicle performance, including:

  • Incentives for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cells vehicles;
  • Incentives for hybrid technologies for large pickups and for other technologies that achieve high fuel economy levels on large pickups;
  • Incentives for natural gas vehicles;
  • Credits for technologies with potential to achieve real-world greenhouse gas reductions and fuel economy improvements that are not captured by the standards test procedures.

 

Authority

42 USC Sec.7521 (CAA)

Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, et al., 549 U.S. 497 (2007): Ruled that the Clean Air Act gives the EPA the authority to regulate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases if the Administrator determines cause or contribute to air pollution and “may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.”

 

Related Documents

Final Rule, August 28, 2012

Fact Sheet: EPA and NHTSA Set Standards to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Improve Fuel Economy for Model Years 2017-2025 Cars and Light Trucks, August 2012

Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), August 2012

Joint Technical Support Document (TSD), August 2012

EPA Response to Comments, August 2012

Proposed Standards, Dec. 2011

Fact Sheet: EPA and NHTSA Propose to Extend the National Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Improve Fuel Economy for Cars and Trucks, Nov. 2011

Driving Efficiency: Cutting Costs for Families at the Pump and Slashing Dependence on Oil.

Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), Nov. 2011

Draft Joint Technical Support Document (TSD), Nov. 2011

MY 2017-2025 Notice of Intent, August 2011

MY 2017-2025 Standards Fact Sheet, July 2011

Supplemental Notice Fact Sheet;Dec. 2010

Supplemental Notice; Nov. 2010

Summary of Minor Corrections to Light-Duty Notice of Intent and the Interim Joint Technical Assessment Report; October 28, 2010

California Air Resources Board’s Letter of Support (PDF); October 1, 2010

Fact Sheet; Oct. 2010

Interim Joint Technical Assessment Report: Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2017-2025 (PDF); September 2010

Interim Joint Technical Assessment Report: Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emission Standards and CAFE Standards for Model Years 2017-2025; September 2010

Next steps for the EPA; May 2010

40 CFR Parts 85, 86 & 600; 49 CFR Parts 531, 533, 536, et al. [EPA-HG-OAR-2009-0472] – Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards; Final Rule – May 7, 2010.

EPA & NHTSA Fact Sheet

Notice of Upcoming Joint Rulemaking to Establish Vehicle GHG Emissions and CAFE Standards; 74 Fed. Reg. 24007, May 22, 2009.

Memo from President Obama Regarding Fuel Efficiency Standards; May 21, 2010

Regulatory Impact Analysis; April 2010

Joint Technical Support Document; April 2010

Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Air Quality Modeling Technical Support Document; April 2010

Air Quality Modeling Technical Support Document: Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards Final Rule; April 2010

EPA Proposes Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Light-Duty Vehicles; May 2009.

EPA and NHTSA Proposed National Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Improve Fuel Economy for Cars and Trucks; Sept. 2009.

EPA Website