An agreement has been reached with 13 major automakers as President Obama announced the next phase of the administration’s national vehicle programme.
The aim is to increase fuel economy to a fleet-wide average 54.5mpg or 163g/mile of CO2 for cars and light duty trucks by model year 2025. Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo – which collectively account for more than 90 per cent of all vehicles sold in the USA – have reached the agreement alongside the United Auto Workers and the state of California.
The programme will have different rates for cars and light duty trucks. The stringency standards for passenger cars will increase by an average of five per cent each year; while the stringency of standards for pick-ups and other light duty trucks will increase by an average of 3.5 per cent annually for the first five model years, and an average of five per cent annually for the last four years.
It is believed that the use of advanced technologies will be an important element in transforming the vehicle fleet. To encourage early adoption, the agencies are considering a number of advanced technologies including: incentives for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles; incentives for advanced technology packages for large pick-ups; and credits for technologies with potential to achieve real-world CO2 reductions.
In addition, the EPA is planning provisions for credits for improvement in air conditioning systems; treatment for compressed natural gas; and continued credit banking and trading.
Over the life of the programme, the standards should cut more than six billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
