Press release
ICCT supports proposed EPA action on passenger car greenhouse gas standards [press statement]
November 30, 2016—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that the greenhouse gas emission standards for passenger cars adopted in 2012 are appropriate and do not need to be changed. Importantly, this is not a new rulemaking; it is only a determination that an existing rulemaking is on track.
The ICCT supports the Agency’s action. The exhaustive analysis undertaken for the Technical Assessment Report (TAR) clearly confirmed that the auto industry will be able to meet the GHG emission standards set out under the regulation, primarily through the remarkable array of innovative developments happening in conventional vehicle technologies.
The ICCT’s research and analysis, carried out in part in collaboration with auto industry suppliers, have found that costs of energy efficiency technologies are coming down faster than expected, and that adoption of these technologies—from turbocharging to improved thermal management, lightweighting to advanced transmission designs, and more— is outstripping the expectations originally built into the regulation in 2012. In fact, there are several cost-effective technologies that are already entering production that were not included in the TAR and will reduce costs below those in the TAR.
Internationally, the EPA’s decision aligns with trends in the two other dominant vehicle markets worldwide. In 2017, the European Union is expected to propose a new round of CO2 emission standards for passenger cars in 2025 and 2030. China is also working on the next round of standards to 2025. Combined, the U.S., EU, and China account for more than three-fifths of global new car sales. EPA’s decision will help U.S. auto companies complete with other manufacturers and ensure they do not fall behind in the technology race.
For ICCT’s library of technical papers and briefs on passenger vehicle technology developments and trends as they pertain to the U.S. 2025 vehicle GHG emissions standard, visit <http://www.theicct.org/series/us-passenger-vehicle-technology-trends>.
Contact: Drew Kodjak, Executive Director, drew@theicct.org
