US: Obama announces CV emissions, fuel saving targets
By: Colin Whitbread, Wednesday, August 10, 2011, AutomotiveWorld.com
The US government has announced fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas pollution standards for work trucks, buses, and other heavy duty vehicles – the first of their kind in the country. The standards were developed by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in close coordination with truck and engine manufacturers, fleet owners, the State of California, environmental groups and other stakeholders.
Under the new national programme, it is estimated that trucks and buses built in 2014 through 2018 will reduce oil consumption by a projected 530 million barrels and greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by approximately 270 million metric tons, providing US$49bn in net programme benefits. The reduced fuel use alone is estimated to enable US$50bn in fuel savings to accrue to vehicle owners, or US$42bn in net savings when considering technology costs. A second phase of regulations is planned for model years beyond 2018.
The joint DOT (fuel economy)/EPA (emissions) programme includes a range of targets which are specific to the diverse vehicle types and purposes. Vehicles are divided into three major categories: combination tractors (semi-trucks); heavy-duty pick-up trucks and vans; and vocational vehicles (transit buses and refuse trucks). Within each of those categories, more specific targets are laid out based on the design and purpose of the vehicle. For purposes of the programme, the heavy-duty fleet incorporates all on-road vehicles rated at a gross vehicle weight at or above 8,500 pounds, and the engines that power them, except those covered by the current GHG emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for model year 2012-2016 passenger vehicles.
Two types of standard metrics have been adopted: payload-dependent gram per mile (and gallon per 100-mile) standards for pick-ups and vans; and gram per ton-mile (and gallon per 1,000 ton-mile) standards for vocational vehicles and combination tractors. These metrics account for the fact that the work to move heavier loads burns more fuel, and emits more CO2 than in moving lighter loads.
According to a White House statement: “This flexible structure allows serious but achievable fuel efficiency improvement goals charted for each year and for each vehicle category and type.”
The standards are expected to yield significant net benefits over the life of model year 2014 to 2018 vehicles, and to result in significant long-terms savings for vehicle owners and operators. According to the statement, a semi-truck operator could pay for the technology upgrades in under a year and realise net savings of US$73,000 through reduced fuel costs over the truck’s useful life. Using technologies commercially available today, the majority of vehicles are expected to see a payback period of less than one year, while others, especially those with with lower annual miles, will experience payback periods of up to two years. These cost saving standards will also reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants like particulate matter.
By the 2018 model year, the programme is expected to achieve significant savings relative to current levels, across vehicle types.
Certain combination tractors (big-rigs or semi-trucks) will be required to achieve up to approximately 20% reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by model year 2018, saving up to 4 gallons of fuel for every 100 miles travelled. The EPA and DOT/NHTSA have adopted differentiated standards for nine subcategories of combination tractors based on three attributes: weight class; cab type; and roof height. The standards will phase in to the 2017 levels shown. These final standards will achieve from 9% to 23% reduction in emissions and fuel consumption from affected tractors over the 2010 baselines.
For heavy-duty pick-up trucks and vans, separate standards are required for gasoline-powered and diesel trucks. These vehicles will be required to achieve up to approximately 15% reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by model year 2018. Under the finalized standards, it is estimated a typical gasoline or diesel powered heavy-duty pick-up truck or van could save one gallon of fuel for every 100 miles travelled.
Each manufacturer's standard for a model year depends on its sales mix, with higher capacity vehicles (payload and towing) having numerically less stringent target levels, and with an added adjustment for 4-wheel drive vehicles. This approach is designed to recognize both the inherently higher GHG emissions and fuel consumption of higher-capacity vehicles, and the importance of payload and towing capacity to the owners of these work trucks and vans.
The EPA has established standards for this segment in the form of a set of target standard curves, based on a 'work factor' that combines a vehicle's payload, towing capabilities, and whether or not it has 4- wheel drive. The standards will phase in with increasing stringency in each model year from 2014 to 2018. The EPA standards adopted for 2018 (including a separate standard to control air conditioning system leakage) represent an average per-vehicle reduction in GHG emissions of 17% for diesel vehicles and 12% for gasoline vehicles, compared to a common baseline. The NHTSA is setting corporate average standards for fuel consumption that are equivalent to EPA‘s standards (though not including EPA’s final air conditioning leakage standard). The final NHTSA standards represent an average per-vehicle improvement in fuel consumption of 15% for diesel vehicles and 10% for gasoline vehicles, compared to a common baseline. NHTSA standards will be voluntary in 2014 and 2015.
Both agencies are providing manufacturers with two alternative phase-in approaches that get equivalent overall reductions. One alternative phases the final standards in at 15-20-40-60-100% in model years 2014-2015-2016-2017-2018. The other phases the final standards in at 15-20-67-67-67-100% in model years 2014-2015-2016-2017-2018-2019.
Vocational vehicles – including delivery trucks, buses, and rubbish/garbage trucks – will be required to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 10% by model year 2018. It is estimated these trucks could save an average of one gallon of fuel for every 100 miles travelled.
The agencies have divided this segment into three regulatory subcategories - Light Heavy (Class 2b through 5), Medium Heavy (Class 6 and 7), and Heavy Heavy (Class 8), which is consistent with the engine classification. The standards depicted in the table represent emission reductions from 6% to 9%, from a 2010 baseline.
In addition to the CO2 standards, the EPA has adopted standards for N2O (nitrous oxide) and CH4 (methane) emissions. N2O and CH4 are important GHGs that contribute to global warming, more so than CO2 for the same amount of emissions. While today’s gasoline and diesel engines emit relatively low levels of N2O and CH4 emissions, the EPA’s standards will act to cap emissions to ensure that manufacturers do not allow the N2O and CH4 emissions of their future engines to increase significantly above the currently controlled low levels.
The new programme provides flexibility for manufacturers in terms of how they can comply with the new standards. This flexibility is expected to provide sufficient lead time for manufacturers to make necessary technological improvements and reduce the overall cost of the programme, without compromising overall environmental and fuel consumption objectives. The primary flexibility provisions are an engine averaging, banking, and trading (ABT) programme and a vehicle ABT programme. These ABT programmes will allow for emission and fuel consumption credits to be averaged, banked, or traded within each of the defined averaging sets. There are three weight-based averaging sets for two of the regulatory categories - combination tractors and vocational vehicles. The pick-up trucks and vans are one fleetwide averaging set, and there are four averaging sets for engines.
Three additional optional credit opportunities have also been outlined. The first is an early credit option intended for manufacturers who demonstrate improvements in excess of the standards prior to the model year that they become effective. The second is a credit programme intended to promote implementation of advanced technologies, such as hybrid powertrains, engines with Rankine cycle waste heat recovery systems, and electric or fuel cell vehicles. The last is a credit intended to apply to new and innovative technologies that reduce vehicle CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, for which the benefits are not captured over the test procedure used to determine compliance with the standards (ie, ‘off-cycle’).
Reaction to the new programme from industry participants has been generally positive. Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar chairman, president and chief executive officer, noted in a statement: "Navistar commends the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for developing one single, national standard for GHG and fuel efficiency for medium- and heavy-duty engines and trucks. We were pleased to be part of the process providing the agencies with information on the positive impact of total vehicle technology integration on fuel efficiency and GHG emissions.
"As a fuel-efficiency leader, Navistar is always focused on delivering value to our customers, and we currently have plans in place to continue to support this competitive position by delivering integrated truck and engine technology solutions that achieve maximum fuel economy for our customers. We feel this customer-focused approach aligns Navistar with the intent of the new proposed GHG rule.
"With this rule, EPA and NHTSA have now set an example for what could be a worldwide GHG and fuel efficiency regulation for heavy duty trucks and engines.”
Cummins also affirmed its support for the regulations and announced plans to certify its engines early to meet these standards. The company noted it has worked proactively on the regulation with a wide range of stakeholders over the past several years and is already developing the clean and efficient technology that will be needed to comply. Commented Rich Freeland, Cummins vice president and president – Engine Business: "Environmental regulations can often be difficult for industry, adding cost and complexity. So early on, Cummins set out with the goal of helping the government establish a clear, consistent, challenging and enforceable regulation that recognizes the needs of business and provides incentives to companies that create innovative technologies as well as jobs in this country. This regulation will add real value for our customers as better fuel economy lowers their operating costs while significantly benefitting the environment."
Added Dr. Steve Charlton, Cummins vice president and chief technical officer – Engine Business: "The emissions technologies in use today provide the foundation for meeting the 2014 standards, and Cummins is ready to meet this regulation in 2013. Certifying our engines early will deliver additional fuel economy benefits to end-user customers and provide installation stability to our OEM customers. Continuing the use of our existing architecture means that customers can also expect improved reliability. This is simply part of the march down a path that we outlined several years ago to deliver increasingly clean, efficient and reliable products to our customers."
Published on Wednesday, August 10, 2011
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