The Vehicle Suppliers Association (MEMA) and its members have welcomed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles Phase 3, released on March 29, 2024.
MEMA and its members “support the objectives of the EPA to improve national air quality through improvements to heavy-duty vehicles and applauds the agency for incorporating improvements to the rule as advocated by MEMA,’ the industry associated said in a statement.
MEMA emphasized the crucial role of suppliers in designing and manufacturing vehicle components and systems that drive advancements in the mobility sector. These components enable various propulsion technologies, including advanced internal combustion engine vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The EPA’s final rule includes a more comprehensive analysis of compliance pathways for different propulsion technologies, offering greater flexibility for achieving compliance. It has granted additional time for certain vocational vehicles to comply and adjusted stringency levels accordingly. The agency has also relaxed stringency in the initial years of implementation while ensuring significant CO2 reductions.
Addressing concerns raised by MEMA members, the EPA has provided greater flexibility for trucks, including allowing trading and averaging of compliance within certain classes and phasing out credit multipliers gradually. These changes enhance flexibility for compliance and contribute to a more “balanced and holistic standard”, MEMA said.
The EPA has also acknowledged concerns about infrastructure and services and has committed to tracking and reporting on feasibility and status. MEMA said it “looks forward to engaging with the EPA to understand how this monitoring will be implemented and understanding how the agency will weigh and address real-world issues” and said that it intends to review the final regulation and its specific details alongside its member companies to ensure compliance and understanding.