Environmental Protection Agency Updated Emission Standards

By: LSN Partners on April 14, 2023

On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two proposals that, if finalized, will set new, more stringent federal emissions standards for light-medium, and heavy-duty vehicles for the model year 2027 and later:

1. For light and medium-duty vehicles, EPA would set emissions limits for carbon dioxide and other tailpipe pollution for model years 2027 through 2032. EPA will take public comment on it for 60 days and will issue a final rule in early 2024. 
2. Regulations for heavy-duty trucks would include delivery vans and short- and long-haul tractors. EPA will accept comments on this 50 days before the final rule later this year.

The proposed rules would require that automakers’ fleets meet a much stricter grams-per-mile carbon standard across all offerings, with differing emission targets for each vehicle class. While the proposed rule is technology-neutral and automakers could produce low-emission internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to meet the new standards, practically speaking, the rule will require automakers to significantly increase the number of wholly- and partially electric vehicles in their fleets. EPA projects that 67 percent of new light-duty vehicles, 46 percent of medium-duty vehicles, and 50 percent of heavy-duty vehicles will be electric when the rules are fully implemented in the model year 2032.

For more information on the rule for light- and medium-duty vehicle emissions, Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles, see the EPA’s page on the proposed rule. EPA plans to hold a virtual public hearing for this proposed rule on May 9 and 10, 2023. 

For more information on the rule for heavy-duty vehicles, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles-Phase 3, see the EPA’s page on the proposed rule.