www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | AUGUST 2016 13
FUELS
EIA NE WS
Principal contributor: David Stone
EIA: PROPOSED STANDARDS FOR
MEDIUM- AND HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES
WOULD REDUCE DIESEL CONSUMPTION
Proposed fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions
standards would increase fuel economy and reduce diesel
consumption in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Unlike
light-duty vehicles, which have been subject to fuel economy
standards since the 1970s, the first phase of medium- and
heavy-duty vehicle standards was recently implemented,
starting with model year 2014. The proposed Phase 2 stan-
dards—issued jointly by the EPA and the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration—would take effect in model
year 2021 for most medium- and heavy-duty vehicle classes
and increase in stringency through model year 2027. These
standards are projected to reduce diesel consumption by 0.5
million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2040.
As described in an Issues in Focus analysis as part of
EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2016, the proposed Phase
2 standards address specific vehicle categories, including
combination tractors, heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans,
vocational vehicles, and, for the first time, trailers.
Vehicles are divided into different classes based on their
gross vehicle weight rating. Light-duty cars and trucks (typi-
cal passenger vehicles) weighing 8,500 pounds or less make
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Average on-road fuel economy of vehicles by weight classes, 2005-40
miles per gallon (gasoline equivalent)
history projections
Class 3
Class 4-6
Class 7-8
Reference case
Phase 2 standards case
2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2016
