Tag Archives: national greenhouse gas emission standards

Will California VW Owners Fix Vehicles Recalled For Fake Emissions?

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As U.S. Volkswagen owners wait for a recall to see how the automobile manufacturer will repair vehicles rigged with software that allows them to pass federal emissions tests, some question whether they will have repairs done at all. According to the head of Volkswagen, the fix could result in vehicles experiencing lower top speeds and higher fuel consumption than listed on the window sticker. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records show the average completion rate for auto recalls in the United States is only around 75% over 18 months, and if the emissions fix results in decreased fuel economy and performance, owners will be even more reluctant to take their vehicle in.

For now, thousands of 2016 VW diesel models are stranded at ports around the nation until the EPA can certify their emissions control systems. In California, the Air Resource Board (CARB) said they will be carrying out emissions tests on diesel cars made by other manufacturers and have set a deadline of November 20th for Volkswagen to submit a recall remedy for approval. According to CARB, if there is not enough owner response to get repairs done, the option of not issuing vehicle registration until the recall has been carried out could be implemented.

Tougher EPA Rules Remove Sulfur From Gasoline

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be unveiling new regulations on Monday, that will force oil refineries to remove sulfur from all gasoline sold in the United States. The new rule will require oil refiners to install new equipment to remove the sulfur and will force automobile manufacturers to install new, cleaner burning engine technology. EPA officials say that removing the smog forming pollutant will reduce the rates of diseases associated with those pollutants and will only slightly raise the price of gasoline and cars. They estimate that the new regulation will raise the cost of gasoline by about two-thirds of 1 cent per gallon and add approximately $75 to the sticker price of cars. Continue reading →

Fuel Efficiency Standards Still Being Negotiated

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In May of 2009, California, the White House and auto manufacturers worked together to reached a deal for fuel efficiency standards from 2012-2016. The final agreement will see vehicles with a 34.1 mpg fuel efficiency… an agreement that is estimated to cost the auto industry over $50 billion to develop the technology to reach this goal. The 2017-2025 fuel efficiency standards proposed have been much more aggressive, and has automakers showing much more resistance. Automakers have warned that obtaining the proposed 56.2 mpg could have consumers paying over $2,000 more per vehicle. In response to this the White house has eased their fuel savings proposal to 54.5 mpg in an attempt to convince automakers to sign on. According to VW of America President and CEO Jonathan Browning, the talks have been constructive. “Everyone is focused on making sure that the final agreement is both fair to the auto industry and is still affordable to consumers.”

The administration has also been in talks on credits for automakers to meet the requirements through air conditioning improvements and building flex-fuel vehicles. NHTSA Administrator David Strickland told officials that the government was committed to treating all automakers fairly. The new plan will not only make the fuel efficiency more obtainable, but will offer special rules for heavier light duty vehicles used for construction.

Car Makers Reject California Emission Proposal

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California regulators are pushing a mandate that could have zero emission vehicles making up 5.5% of new car sales by 2018, increasing to 14% by 2025. The proposal is being rejected by auto makers who feel the plan is the first step into establishing new national fuel efficiency standards that could end up costing them $5,000 for every vehicle that does not meet the standard. According to the Association of Global Automakers (AGA) the requirement of electric vehicles would interfere with auto makers ability to meet the new fuel economy and emissions standards being proposed by the Obama administration. They feel that auto makers will be forced into building vehicles that are not in demand, into an infrastructure that can not meet their refueling needs. It is expected the plan would hit smaller auto companies the worst, because they have fewer resources and development advances for electric vehicles.

Fewer Cylinders Now Offer More Power

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In April of 2010, when the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came out with their national greenhouse gas emission standards, there were concerns about how the new requirements would be received. It was expected that automobile manufacturers would turn to more efficient conventional technologies, while others would go one step further and pursue more advanced fuel saving technologies like diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles. Today, with gasoline prices on a steady rise, Americans are demanding that their new cars not only meet, but exceed the standards set by the government. Because some consumers are still skeptical of the new hybrid and electric technologies, many have chosen to trade in their V-6’s for more fuel efficient four cylinder engines.

Four cylinder engines now account for almost 65% of all vehicles built in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. This is the biggest shift since the 1980’s when consumers traded in their V-8’s for the smaller V-6 engines. It is expected that within the next five years, over half the vehicles in the U.S. will be four cylinder engines. But todays consumers don’t have to give up power to drive the smaller engine vehicles. New technologies have left the underpowered four cylinder engines a thing of the past, and automakers have changed their marketing strategies to focus on the horsepower and fuel economy instead of the number of cylinders a vehicle has.

Ford new generation Explorer will soon offer two liter four cylinder “Eco Boost” engine and are already working on a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine.

BMW, who has not built a four cylinder engine in the U.S. for over a decade is now offering their customers the new Z4 sports car scheduled to go on sale this year, and have also been working on a three cylinder engine.

Hyundai has almost abandoned anything bigger than a four-cylinder, which accounts for nearly 90% of its U.S. sales.

And finally, automobile manufacturers like Honda, Toyota and Nissan, who were once criticized for their small powerless vehicles, are now leaders in the new fuel efficient, environmentally friendly technologies.

National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have come out with their long awaited national greenhouse gas emissions standards. These standard are expected to significantly increase the fuel economy of all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the United States.

Starting with 2012 models, automakers are required to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately five percent every year until the established fuel economy standards are met. NHTSA and EPA expect automobile manufacturers will meet these standards by more widespread adoption of conventional technologies that are already in commercial use, such as more efficient engines, transmissions, tires, aerodynamics, and materials, as well as improvements in air conditioning systems.

The new program is expected to:

  • Reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 960 million metric tons over the lifetime of the vehicles regulated, equivalent to taking 50 million cars and light trucks off the road in 2030.
  • Conserves about 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles regulated.
  • Enables the average car buyer of a 2016 model year vehicle to enjoy a net savings of $3,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle, as upfront technology costs are offset by lower fuel costs.

Although the standards can be met with conventional technologies, EPA and NHTSA also expect that some manufacturers may choose to pursue more advanced fuel-saving technologies like clean diesel engines, hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles.