On April 12, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed rules to reduce emissions from light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles.
The EPA's new, more ambitious proposed standards seek to further reduce harmful air pollutant emissions from light-duty and medium-duty vehicles starting with model year 2027.
The proposal builds upon the EPA’s final standards for federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2023 through 2026, and leverages advances in clean car technology to unlock benefits to Americans ranging from reducing climate pollution, to improving public health, to saving drivers money through reduced fuel and maintenance costs.
The proposed standards would phase in over model years 2027 through 2032.
EPA plans to hold a virtual public hearing for this proposed rule, Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles. The hearing is scheduled to occur on May 9 and 10, 2023. An additional session may be held on May 11, 2023, if necessary.
When finalized, it is expected that these regulations will provide a clear market signal that will spur significant investment in new charging infrastructure and US manufacturing supporting the clean energy transition while putting the country on a path to reach its 2030 climate goals.
The transportation sector is a large contributor of carbon emissions and a significant source of other harmful air pollution (greenhouse gases – GHG) that impact our environment.
With these proposed rules, the EPA is leading the way to cleaner air and a healthier climate for all, while growing the US economy as zero-emission transportation technologies come to scale.
“The rules proposed by the EPA today build on the historic investments of the Inflation Reduction Act, continuing the Administration’s leadership in supporting the transition to a zero-emission transportation future, improving public health and addressing the climate crisis,” said John Boesel, President and Chief Executive Officer of CALSTART. “We applaud the EPA for taking this important step to chart a path to increased zero-emission vehicle adoption. CALSTART is committed to working with the agency and our industry partners to ensure the final rules provide the right market signal and support for transitioning the transportation sector.”
CALSTART is a US national nonprofit working to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry.
“The vehicle emissions standards proposed today are a critical addition to the Administration’s climate portfolio, and we applaud the realistic goals set forward in the headline targets,” said Chris Nevers, Senior Director of Public Policy at Rivian Automotive. “This rulemaking will guide the industry’s technological trajectory for decades to come. We look forward to providing a detailed review of the proposal and will continue to make the case for the strongest possible standards through our products and our advocacy.”
Salim Youssefzadeh, the Chief Executive Officer of WattEV stated: “EPA’s proposed emission standards will help provide regulatory certainty that is critical for future planning of zero-emission infrastructure. The moves to encourage EVSE production and streamline the interconnection processes will greatly aid in building the critical infrastructure to support the transformation of the freight sector in particular.”
From the CALSTART press release, “The zero-emission vehicle market is strong and growing, with a significant number of market-ready vehicles and technologies available to fleets across the country. We applaud EPA’s proposals and look forward to engaging across the transportation industry to provide input as the agency develops the final rules.”