The Volvo Group has committed its support to working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Phase II of the national program to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. The announcement followed the Obama Administration’s statement that the EPA and NHTSA develop and issue the next phase of standards by March 31, 2016. The agencies are expected to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by March 31, 2015.
“As a leading manufacturer of heavy trucks, buses and engines, we remain committed to producing products that reduce our carbon footprint and offer increased fuel efficiency benefits to our customers,” says Susan Alt, Senior Vice President – Public Affairs for Volvo Group North America. “The Volvo Group wants to ensure that Phase II of the national program establishes a complete vehicle standard to optimize fuel efficiency in a cost-effective manner that offers the most benefit to customers and the environment.”
Complete vehicle emissions standards – as opposed to separate standards for engines and vehicles – will allow manufacturers to deliver the greatest value with less complexity, and without making the engine or overall truck heavier or compromising vehicle aerodynamics.
The first phase of the GHG emissions and fuel efficiency standards went into effect January 1, 2014. Volvo Group’s North American truck brands, Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks, were fully certified prior to the ruling taking effect. Depending on the model and specifications, engine fuel efficiency improved more than 2%, translating into a reduction of up to five tons of CO2 emissions per truck per year.
