The EPA GHG rule represents progress toward U.S. climate goals and decarbonization of the vehicle fleet

20 December 2021 (Washington, DC) — The Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will reduce GHG emissions from cars and light trucks by 5% to 10% per year in model years 2023 to 2026 (9.8% in 2022–2023, 5.1% in 2023–2024, 6.6% in 2024–2025, 10.3% in 2025–2026). This welcome revision to the regulation largely corrects for a rollback that was fundamentally flawed and put the United States out of step with every other major auto market and manufacturing center. The rule will get the U.S. fleet moving again in the same direction as most other major world automobile markets, toward the administration’s goals of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.

The final rule is an important step in the direction of the larger goal. Now the task becomes developing the standards for years 2027 and beyond, which will have to be significantly more ambitious to put the U.S. on the path toward the 50% electric vehicle target set by the President while Incorporating the full range of vehicle efficiency technology.

Achieving that target is a crucial part of an effective response to the climate crisis. But greater ambition is also important if the US auto industry is to remain competitive globally. The recent regulatory proposal in the European Union requires manufacturers to ensure a 100% reduction in CO₂ for their new passenger car and light commercial vehicle fleets by 2035 compared to the 2021 standard. Such farsighted regulation is driving global technology innovation and investment in the zero-emission vehicle transition. We applaud the Biden Administration’s efforts with this rule to return the United States to a position among climate policy leaders.

Contact: communications@theicct.org

Passenger car CO₂ emissions, normalized to CAFE

Light truck CO₂ emissions, normalized to CAFE