The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed rule that would require significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars and commercial vehicles in the country. According to the proposal, car emissions are to be reduced by 56% by 2032, a target that could likely only be met through the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
The proposal represents the most aggressive vehicle emissions reduction plan ever proposed in the US, requiring an average annual pollution cut of 13%, according to reports. The EPA estimates that it would cost about $1,200 more per vehicle to meet the proposed targets, but the plan would ultimately save consumers an average of over $9,000 in fuel, maintenance, and repair costs over an eight-year period.
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The EPA proposal is based on a performance-based standard and not an electric vehicle mandate. However, the EPA’s pollution standards can limit the total number of cars sold by a manufacturer if it is necessary to meet the agency’s emission reduction targets, effectively requiring a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles.
The EPA estimates that two out of three new cars sold in the US will be electric by 2032, reflecting the sense of urgency that the Biden administration has in addressing the climate crisis. However, the proposal has received mixed reactions. Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign, called for even stricter targets, while John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, urged caution, noting that a lot has to go right for this unprecedented change in the US automotive market to succeed.
In addition to passenger cars, the EPA proposal also includes targets for commercial vehicles. Buses and refuse collection vehicles would be required to be 50% electric by 2032, while short-haul tractors would be required to be 35% electric and long-haul trucks 25% electric.
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The EPA’s proposal is a significant step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the US transportation sector, which accounts for nearly 30% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal is open for public comment until 27 June 2022, and a final rule is expected to be issued by the end of 2022.
