Truck Emissions Requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released Phase 2 of the federal greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards. The new standards will regulate trailers for the first time, and the separate engine fuel-efficiency standards would be put into play via steps from existing 2017 standards to those required in 2021, 2024 and 2027. Experts expect compliance with the engine standards will be attained by leveraging:

Variable valve timing
Friction reduction
Reduced parasitic loads
Improvements in the exhaust gas recirculation, combustion and fuel injection systems

The new rule’s overall CO2 reductions would primarily come from deploying engine efficiency improvements, advanced automatic transmissions, lower rolling resistance tractor tires, improved tractor aerodynamics, anti-idling devices and additional driveline and accessory technologies that are currently seeing increased adoption across Class 7-8 fleets.

Combination Tractors

Also known as big rigs or semi-trucks, these vehicles will be required to achieve up to approximately 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 2018. This will save up to four gallons of fuel for every 100 miles traveled.

Heavy Duty Pickup Trucks and Vans

Separate standards are required for gasoline-powered and diesel trucks. These vehicles are required to achieve up to 15 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 2018. Under finalized standards, a typical gasoline or diesel powered heavy duty pickup truck or van could save one gallon of fuel for every 100 miles traveled.

Vocational Vehicles

Also known as delivery trucks dump trucks, buses and garbage trucks, etc., these vehicles will be required to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 10 percent by 2018. As a result, these trucks could save an average of one gallon of fuel for every 100 miles traveled.

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