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The Environmental Protection Agency published new broadcast rules for truck makers on Friday, calling the standards the strongest measures ever issued.
Greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, phase three, affect model years 2027 through 2032 and are intended to reduce pollution.
“For tractors such as day cabs and sleeper cabs on tractor-trailer trucks, the Phase 3 standards vary by vehicle type and range up to 40 percent more stringent than the previous Phase 2 standards for MY 2032,” the agency said in an email. in Trucking Dive.
For heavy-duty vehicles such as delivery trucks, garbage trucks, utility trucks, the new standards range up to 60 percent more stringent than the previous standards for the 2032 model year, the agency said.
The new standards it will mean cleaner air and healthier communities, especially in corridors where truck traffic is heavier, advocates said.
The rule also means fleets will save “money through reduced fuel and maintenance costs,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said at a news conference Thursday.
Regulatory officials said the standards allow flexibility for manufacturers to pursue technologies that work best for them.
The final rule slows down the timing of the regulatory disposition compared to an initial disclosure. While the agency will monitor the progress of OEMs and the development of infrastructure needed to support the program, the regulations could undergo further changes based on feedback from the public.
“EPA will consult with a wide range of stakeholders on an ongoing basis to learn from their experiences and gather relevant information and data,” the agency said in a news release, adding that stakeholders will include trucking fleets, trucking trade associations, owners -administrators ; heavy commercial vehicle manufacturers, environmental and public health groups and more.
Almost a year ago, the agency published a proposed rule requiring OEMs to build ever-larger quantities of zero-emission vehicles. The agency pursued this phased approach to address potential lead-time concerns about the feasibility of ramping up newer technology, the proposed rule said.
Still, groups like the American Trucking Associations expressed concerns with the proposal, saying trucks vary too much to be narrowed down to one of three categories consisting of commercial, short-haul tractors and long-haul tractors. Industry leaders also called for feasible timelines.
The final rule remained deeply flawed in ATA’s view. “ATA opposes this rule in its current form because the post-2030 goals remain completely unattainable given the current state of zero-emissions technology, lack of charging infrastructure and constraints on the electric grid,” said President and CEO Chris Spear in a statement. .
“Given the wide range of work required of our industry to keep the economy running, a successful emissions regulation must be technology neutral and cannot be one-size-fits-all,” he said.
Concerns flooded the rulemaking, part of 175,000 comments, highlighting issues such as the still-developing charging infrastructure.
“PACCAR works diligently for development ZEVs for the future, but the necessary supporting infrastructure must be in place before it spreads ZEV market penetration and adoption,” the manufacturer said establishing rules comments last year.
At the same time, The OEMs themselves reported aggressive schedules. The government acknowledged that Navistar’s ZEV sales volume target was 50% by 2030percentage that Volvo Trucks is predicted to exceed.
Meanwhile, the policy is based on buy-in from businesses for the newer models. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer noted cost concerns and said the agency’s rulemaking could lead drivers to stick with older trucks.
“Clean air is a priority for everyone, including the trucking industry, but emissions requirements for heavy trucks must be practical, affordable and reliable,” Spencer said he said in written comments last year.
Vehicle costs for trucks with newer technologies alone are two to three times that of a diesel truck, according to the Clean Freight Coalition, which includes the ATA and other industry groups such as the Trucking Association. “For example, today’s Class 8 diesel truck costs about $180,000 compared to the price of an electric truck of $400,000.” said the coalition’s executive director.
While the newer 2032 model year vehicles would have higher initial costs, based on incentives, lower maintenance costs and other factors, the EPA predicts that the total payback period—that is, the time it takes to recoup the cost of ZEVs—will be just two years for light-duty vehicles as well as day-cab tractors and up to five years for sleeper-cab tractors.