Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
In 2008 the US Congress pushed to raise corporate fuel economy standards
(CAF
´
) levels from 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.5 mpg for light trucks (includes vans
and SUVs) to 35.5 mpg by 2016. US President Obama's National Program that
links GHG emissions directly to vehicle CO
2
emissions was cited as proof that this
change be mandatory. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
National Transportation Highway Safety Agency (NTHSA) were charged with
implementing the change to bring about and to enforce the 35.5 mpg mandate.
The higher fuel economy regulations are set to ramp from 2010 levels during the
interval of 2011-2016, at which time the 35.5 mpg standard must be met. At about
the same time as these changes were taking place at the national level, California
air resources board (ARB) issued a zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate
6
to do the
following:
By 2015 dramatically increase the percentage mix of alternative propulsion
types such as ZEV (essentially BEV), PHEV, ATPHEV and PZEV.
●
Decrease GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 (a 25% reduction from 2008
levels) and then to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
●
This last requirement can only be achieved through highly electrified
transportation.
●
Similar activities are taking place in Europe driven by ACEA with a goal
of 120 g CO
2
/km. Currently, Europe is at approximately 140 g CO
2
/km and is
also considering imposing a CO
2
tax on vehicle emitters. France, for example,
has proposed a pro-rated tax, the more you pollute the more you pay as seen in
Figure 1.37.
Mild hybrid: -12 g CO
2
/km
D
C
5€/gCO
2
E
F
G
120
140
160
200
250
280
10€/gCO
2
15€/gCO
2
17€/gCO
2
19€/gCO
2
Emission based vehicle tax classes
Figure 1.37 Example emissions tax (French proposal)
To quote the US EPA on this topic of fuel economy mandates:
The 35.5 mpg number from the CAFE regulations can be reached, the
DOT and EPA say, if all MY 2016 vehicles have ''an estimated combined
average emission level of 250 grams of carbon dioxide per mile'' (to
compare, that would be 155 g/km using the European g/km measurement)
and that target is met by improving fuel economy. We can't help but think
that a focus on CO
2
instead of mpg is needed in light of new claims that
cars can get 230 mpg.
6
James Goldstein, CARB.
