NORTH AMERICA REPORT
In early May, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a virtual public hearing regarding the Phase 3 greenhouse gas emission standards for heavy duty trucks. There are various comments and opinions from the stakeholders that attended the hearing. Along with introducing the Phase 3 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) rules to begin for MY 2028 trucks, the EPA also revised the Phase 2 GHG standards for the MY 2027 truck standards.
This link from CCJ (Commercial Carrier Journal) is a good overview of the conference.
CCJ: ‘Destined to fail’: Trucking sounds off to EPA on new Phase 3 greenhouse-gas regs
The Environmental Protection Agency this week held virtual public hearings related to its Phase 3 greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, unveiled last month. Among the dozens who testified during the hearings, trucking industry stakeholders were part of a small minority advocating for EPA to take a step back and reconsider the proposed standards that would take effect beginning with model-year 2027 trucks.
Part of EPA’s proposal is to electrify 25% of new long-haul trucks by 2032, as well as 35% of new short-haul regional tractors and 50% of vocational vehicles. The proposal also reopens the “Phase 2” GHG emissions regs to make them more stringent for MY 2027 trucks and promulgates new emissions standards beginning with the 2028 model year.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December updated emission standards for heavy-duty commercial vehicles for the 2027 model year, tightening tailpipe NOx limits to a level 80%-plus below the current standard and reducing the particulate matter limit by 50%. The agency also will require that OEMs extend warranties to 450,000 miles from 100,000 and useful life limits to 650,000 miles from 435,000 miles.
PSR Analysis: PSR has been following the developments surrounding the zero-emission vehicle trends over the years and has cited numerous barriers to adoption to series vehicle production which include charging and power grid infrastructure along with hydrogen fueling and storage infrastructure plus other factors such as total cost of ownership, vehicle duty cycles, range expectations, battery weight, etc.
None of these barriers have been overcome. It appears the EPA is tightening the emission standards to a point where the traditional ICE engine will be unable to meet the GHG standards, thus forcing zero-emission vehicles into the heavy truck market before significant barriers have been overcome. PSR
Chris Fisher is Senior Commercial Vehicle Analyst at Power Systems Research
