Environmental Protection Agency announces stringent new emission standards

New regulations which will apply to vehicles made from 2027 represent a significant step up from the previous standards as the United State’s EPA include a new approach in predicting the advances that can be achieved.

For decades the EPA has tightened regulations at every turn based on the assumption that new  technologies will continue to come online to improve the quality of emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles.

In the new proposal, EPA’s technology feasibility assessment will include the increasing availability of zero and near-zero tailpipe emissions technologies and the auto manufacturers’ stated plans for producing significant volumes of zero and near-zero emission within the six year timeframe of the rule. Because of this, EPA felt it appropriate to propose even lower emissions standards than has been practical in the past.

To encourage manufacturers to focus on producing more electric vehicles, the EPA will cancel the regulation that was due to start in 2027 whereby upstream emissions generated in the manufacture of EVs would begin to be included in their compliance calculation.

Permitted emission levels are also being tightened. By way of example, for medium duty vehicles, EPA is proposing non-methane organic gas and nitrogen oxide standards that would represent a 66% to 76% reduction from the current standards.

EPA administrator Michael S. Regan (who we possibly mention more than anyone else on AQN) said: ‘By proposing the most ambitious pollution standards ever for cars and trucks, we are delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s promise to protect people and the planet, securing critical reductions in dangerous air and climate pollution and ensuring significant economic benefits like lower fuel and maintenance costs for families.

‘These ambitious standards are readily achievable thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is already driving historic progress to build more American-made electric cars and secure America’s global competitiveness.’

The EPA predict that the proposed standards would avoid nearly 10 billion tons of CO₂ emissions (more than twice the country’s 2022 emissions) and that they would save the average consumer $12,000 over the lifetime of a light-duty vehicle, as compared to a vehicle that was not subject to the new standards.

On the other side of the coin, John Bozzella, president and CEO of the trade organisation Alliance for Automotive Innovation, wrote: ‘Every dollar invested in internal combustion technology is a dollar not spent on zero carbon technology. And vice versa.

‘Why does that matter? Automakers and battery partners have already committed $110 billion in the U.S. to electrify products. Requiring self-financed investments from automakers for incremental gains from gas-powered engines comes at the expense of where our collective focus ought to be: electrification. That’s the future.’

Image:  Endri Killo