The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized federal greenhouse gas emission standards that represent the “most ambitious vehicle emissions standards for greenhouse gases ever established for the light-duty vehicle sector in the United States,” an EPA press release said.
The final rule for greenhouse gas emissions will apply to passenger vehicles and light trucks starting with model year 2023 and persist through model year 2026, according to an EPA fact sheet. Automobiles in this category will be required to reduce emissions by 5-10 percent each year, a significant increase over the previous requirement of 1.5 percent each year.
“The final rule for light duty vehicles reflects core principles of this administration: we followed the science, we listened to stakeholders, and we are setting robust and rigorous standards that will aggressively reduce the pollution that is harming people and our planet – and save families money at the same time,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in the release. “At EPA, our priority is to protect public health, especially in overburdened communities, while responding to the President’s ambitious climate agenda. Today we take a giant step forward in delivering on those goals, while paving the way toward an all-electric, zero-emissions transportation future.”
Fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles are expected to increase to an average of 40 mpg by 2026 due to the changes, the fact sheet said. The new standards seek to lower climate pollution, improve public health and save drivers money at the pump, resulting in $190 billion in net benefits for U.S. citizens, the release said.
According to the EPA, the standards provide ample lead time for auto manufacturers to comply. Companies can meet the requirements by 2026 with increased utilization of vehicle technologies and electric vehicles comprising 17% of total sales, the release said.
The measures are estimated to prevent more than 3 billion tons of greenhouse gasses emissions through 2050.
