The standards would cover trucks beginning with those sold in the 2014 model year through model year 2018.
The proposal was announced by the US Department of Transportation, which sets fuel economy standards, and the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates greenhouse gas emissions.
The proposal establishes standards for three categories of trucks, combination tractors, heavy-duty pickups and vans and vocational vehicles, such as dump trucks, cement trucks and buses.
For combination tractors, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards that achieve up to a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption by 2018. For heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, the agencies are proposing separate gasoline and diesel truck standards that achieve up to a 10% reduction for gasoline vehicles and a 15% reduction for diesel by 2018
model year. For vocational vehicles, the proposal would require up to a 10% reductions by 2018.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the agencies "will look for manufacturers to find ways to meet" the proposed performance standards, including improved engine efficiency, tires, the aerodynamics of trucks and idling.
According to EPA, the transportation sector accounts for 72% of domestic oil use, and heavy-duty vehicles account for 17% of transportation oil use. The heavy-duty sector also accounted for 6% of all US GHG emissions and 20% of transportation GHG emissions in 2007. Within the transportation sector, heavy-duty vehicles are the fastest growing contributor to GHG emissions.
The agencies estimated that the combined proposed standards have the potential to reduce GHG emissions by nearly 250 million metric tons and save approximately 500 million barrels of oil over the life of vehicles sold during 2014-2018. They estimated the cost to the affected industry of about $7.7 billion, and a total societal benefit of $49 billion.
The Diesel Technology Forum said in a statement that more than 95% of all heavy duty trucks are diesel powered. Heavy duty tractor trailer trucks consume approximately 22 billion gallons of diesel fuel every year. The administration proposal, "clearly envisions clean diesel power as the centerpiece of freight transportation," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the trade group.
Earlier this month, the administration said it was developing plans to increase fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles and light trucks that could range from 47 miles per gallon to 62 mpg by 2025. The current standard is 35.5 mpg by 2016.
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