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26th November 2007

The U.S. Environment Protection Agency is working to develop new fuel economy regulations and vehicle CO2 measures by the end of this year following the Supreme Court’s decision in April this year that the agency had a mandate to regulate CO2 emissions, pending the passing of House of Representatives and Senate fuel economy bills, and the outcome of legal cases brought against the federal government by seventeen states wishing to enact their own emissions standards.

President George W. Bush has charged the EPA and other federal agencies with developing new rules to reduce 20% of the country's gasoline consumption by 2017. Each year, the EPA tests as 15% new vehicles pre-launch, relying on manufacturers to provide their own data for the rest, and also tests about 120 models that are already on the road.

EPA mpg estimates this year have begun taking into account air-conditioning, fast acceleration and cold weather. The resulting new calculations have reduced mpg estimates by about 12% for most vehicles.

Besides refining test methodology, the EPA’s Ann Arbor, Michigan lab is also to help develop a fleet of hydraulic hybrid delivery trucks with UPS, using technology originally developed with military funding, which is expected to yield additional fuel economy of up to 70% or 18 mpg.

(www.freep.com, 25 November)

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