Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/757641
38 | Overdrive | December 2016 GLIDERS LOSING ALTITUDE nearly the entirety of new truck sales projected for next year. Likewise, 10,000 kits emit about as much NOx as 100,000 new trucks, EPA says. The American Trucking Associations doesn't take a stance on the changes to the glider kit standards, says Glen Kedzie, ATA vice president of energy and envi- ronmental counsel. But Kedzie says the trade group understands the need for the change to glider emissions regulations. "They're just setting out to clean up the emissions from the glider kit indus- try," he says. "If we kept going down the pathway of allowing 10,000 pre-2003 engines to be put out there, the industry's emissions are going to be exponentially steered toward being on the shoulders of glider kits." The final Phase 2 standards immediately follow Phase 1 greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards that won't be imple- mented fully until 2017. The agencies are asking for better efficiency from North American truck and engine makers, as well as trailer manu- facturers – a first for trucking emissions regulations. Phase 2 standards will be complete by model year 2027. Tractors: By MY 2027, tractors in a tractor-trailer combination must achieve up to 25 percent lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption compared to an equivalent tractor in 2018. Engines: For diesel tractor engines, the MY 2027 standards will require reductions in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption that are 5.1 percent better than the 2017 baseline for the engine. The agencies also are adopting standards for MY 2021 and MY 2024, requiring reduc- tions in CO2 emissions and fuel consump- tion of 1.8 percent to 4.2 percent better than the 2017 baseline. Trailers: EPA standards will take effect in MY 2018 for certain trailers, while other standards taking effect in 2021 originated with the National High- way Traffic Safety Administration. While EPA for years has mandated that tractors boost efficiency, the agency largely over- looked how the trailer could contribute to gains until Phase 2. APUs: EPA also is adopting new par- ticulate matter standards that effectively limit which diesel-fueled auxiliary power units can be used as emissions control devices to reduce main engine idling. While EPA and NHTSA didn't mandate methods to reach the new emissions benchmarks, they did offer guidance, which included a more prevalent use of aluminum components and other lightweighting solutions. The agencies also pointed to systems such as waste heat recovery, used in some of the recent SuperTruck projects. While truck and engine makers have expressed support for the rule and its timeline, other industry groups are concerned about the likelihood of increased costs. The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association called the rule "highly complex" and said it could "impose enormous costs [unless] it aligns with manufacturers' efforts and customer needs." The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association thinks the 10-year implementation period is too short. "Forcing a standard that can lead to problems with reliability and mainte- nance ultimately has no benefits to the environment if no one wants to buy the product," OOIDA says. "Truckers themselves have the most influence on fuel economy by way of proper training, and so we recommend allowing OEMs to innovate on a more common-sense timetable that benefits the industry and the environment." Freightliner parent company Daimler Trucks North America says the timeline will allow the industry to phase in tech- nical changes over a decade and mitigate acquisition cost pressures on customers. "The final rule needed to provide clear long-term targets for the entire vehicle, not just the engine," says Martin Daum, DTNA president and chief executive officer. "It also needed to provide enough time and flexibility for the OEMs and customers to decide themselves how to achieve the reductions in a way that is economically feasible." Siddiq Khan of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy predicts a quick return on investment for buyers. "With these fuel savings, most truckers will recover the incremental cost of the more efficient trucks in less than two years," Khan says. EPA said in its 1,690- page Phase 2 document that it expects the final standards to lower CO2 emis- sions by about 1.1 billion metric tons and save vehicle owners about $170 billion in fuel costs, while reducing oil consumption by up to 2 billion barrels over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program. AVAILABILITY OF GLIDERS WITH PRE-2010 ENGINES Growth in the glider kit market prompted regulators to scale back production to support their goal of reduced diesel emissions. Production of the most popular glider kits, using engines that pre-date EGR and DPFs, will decline significantly in 2018. Until Dec. 27, 2016 2017 2018 and beyond Production cap Unlimited Highest year of production, between 2010-2014, per shop 300 per year, per shop NEW STANDARDS COVER ENGINES, TRACTORS AND TRAILERS BY JASON CANNON