U.S. EPA and the U.S. Dept. of Transportation have announced the first national standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and buses. This comprehensive national program is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 250 million metric tons and save 500 million barrels of oil over the lives of the vehicles produced within the program’s first five years.
EPA and DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are proposing new standards for three categories of heavy trucks: combination tractors, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational vehicles. The agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards that begin in the 2014 model year and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption by 2018 model year.
Overall, NHTSA and EPA estimate that the heavy-duty national program would provide $41 billion in net benefits over the lifetime of model year 2014 to 2018 vehicles. With the potential for significant fuel efficiency gains, ranging from 7-20%, drivers and operators could expect to net significant savings over the long-term. It is estimated an operator of a semi truck could pay for the technology upgrades in under a year, and save as much as $74,000 over the truck’s useful life. Vehicles with lower annual miles would typically experience longer payback periods, up to four or five years, but would still reap cost-savings.