Skip to main content

New clean diesel cars and light trucks to ‘help US achieve greenhouse gas reductions’

Advances in emissions control technology in clean diesel passenger cars and light duty pickup trucks will have a positive effect on efforts to reduce future Greenhouse Gas Emissions, according to the federal government’s newly-released Draft Technical Assessment Report (TAR). The Draft TAR, which covers vehicle model years 2022-2025, confirms that automotive manufacturers are introducing new technology to market at a rapid pace, and predicts that the MY 2022-2025 standards are achievable with a wide ran
July 25, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Advances in emissions control technology in clean diesel passenger cars and light duty pickup trucks will have a positive effect on efforts to reduce future Greenhouse Gas Emissions, according to the federal government’s newly-released Draft Technical Assessment Report (TAR).
 
The Draft TAR, which covers vehicle model years 2022-2025, confirms that automotive manufacturers are introducing new technology to market at a rapid pace, and predicts that the MY 2022-2025 standards are achievable with a wide range of technologies.

According to a mid-term evaluation by the 324 US Department of Transportation (DOT), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the California Air Resource Board (CARB), despite recent EPA and California ARB compliance actions with respect to light-duty diesel NOx emissions, diesel engines remain a technology for the reduction of GHG emissions from light-duty vehicles. Advances in NOx and PM emissions control technology are bringing light duty diesels fully into compliance with Federal Tier 3 and California LEV III emissions standards at a cost that is competitive with the cost-effectiveness of other high efficiency, advanced engine technologies.
 
The Draft TAR states that diesel engines are continuing to evolve using technologies similar to those being introduced in new light-duty gasoline engines and heavy-duty diesel truck engines, including the use of advanced friction reduction measures, increased turbocharger boosting and engine downsizing and the improved integration of exhaust emissions control systems for criteria pollutant control, among others.
 
According to the Draft TAR, the best Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) - a measure of energy efficiency - of advanced diesel engines under development for light duty applications is now 46 percent and thus is approaching that of heavy-duty diesel truck engines.  In contrast, gasoline engines today achieve around 37 per cent.
 
The draft report also summarises the results of commissioned research surveying auto reviews of advanced fuel economy technologies.  Three-out-of-four auto writers and auto analysts report a favourable rating for diesel technology concerning consumer acceptance, which was among the highest rated powertrains.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Underinvestment in infrastructure threatens economic growth
    January 24, 2012
    The 2011 Urban Mobility Report from the Texas Transportation Institute highlights the dangers of continued underinvestment in transportation infrastructure but also offers some hope in terms of possible solutions
  • US DOT announces latest projects for Lo-No program
    April 21, 2016
    The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced the latest project selections for the Low and No-Emission Vehicle Deployment Program, known as Low-No. Seven transit providers in five states will receive a share of US$22.5 million toward transit buses and related facilities that utilise battery-electric, fuel cell and other innovative technologies to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and improve operating efficiency. FTA awarded the FY 2015 funds after a hi
  • Road user charging - replacing the gas tax with a mileage based fee
    January 19, 2012
    Oregon Department of Transportation's James Whitty discusses his state's progress with VMT fee-based charging. Back in 2001, the state of Oregon stole a lead on the rest of the US when it decided to address the need to do something about the gas tax and its decreasing ability to fund highway construction and upkeep. Recognising that a dwindling pot of money could only shrink further as vehicles became more fuelefficient, Oregon's Legislative Assembly passed laws which led to the setting up, by the state's g
  • Solar studs a cost-effective alternative to street lighting?
    July 30, 2012
    Road traffic accidents have an enormous impact on society in terms of human loss, pain and suffering and a significant cost to the economy, the individual and their families. Accident rates on South Africa's roads are among the highest in the world and cost the country in the region of $163 million each year. The former head of the Department of Transport (DoT), Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa, described the situation as "carnage on our roads", with over 500,000 accidents and 10,000 fatalities per annum and the number of