DOT, EPA propose nation's first-ever emissions, fuel-efficiency standards for trucks and buses

Today, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and I proposed the first national standards for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency for medium and heavy-duty trucks, vans, and buses.

This is a historic first step to address categories of vehicles previously excluded from America's corporate average fuel economy guidelines. Currently, the vehicles we propose covering account for 20% of the transportation sector's carbon emissions. So reducing those emissions and improving fuel efficiency for these vehicles is certainly a win for the environment.

With EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson

But the new standards are also a win for energy independence and the economy. We're talking about saving 500 million barrels of oil and cutting emissions by nearly 250 million metric tons over the life of model year 2014 to 2018 vehicles covered by our proposals.

For example, the new rules are expected to save truckers more than $35 billion in net benefits. Whether you're an independent contractor who relies on a pickup truck or an independent operator of a full-size semi, shrinking fuel costs will mean more money in your pocket. Owners will save thousands over the lifetime of their vehicles.

Some of those fuel-cost savings will also reduce transportation costs for businesses, who may choose to invest those savings in creating new jobs here at home rather than shipping barrels of dollars abroad to foreign energy providers.

The innovative technologies fostered by this program will also yield economic benefits, enhance energy security, and improve air quality.

Sure, we have more work to do as we attempt to mitigate environmental damage and increase our energy independence. But today's announcement is an important step along the way.

Please remember, however, that today's announcement was only a proposal. EPA and NHTSA are providing a 60-day comment period. That's where you come in. The proposal and information about submitting comments are at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/climate/regulations.htm and http://www.nhtsa.gov/fuel-economy. So visit those websites, read the proposal, and let us hear what you have to say.

When the comment period is over and the proposal is finalized, I look forward to presenting President Obama with specific medium and heavy duty vehicle standards for model years 2014 to 2018. These will be our nation's first-ever standards for those vehicles--yes--but they are just one more step in our effort to develop a new generation of clean, fuel-efficient American vehicles.

Comments

[JP]

Progress! Make it happen, Ray!

[Steve Breedlove]

Sec. LaHood,
Thank you for your collaborative efforts within the executive office for instituting stricter fuel efficiency standards in commercial trucks.
The government needs to create more market signals, such as this, in our ever-pressing push toward environmental sustainability. This is an important step, and we can trust the market to meet the new demand you have created for engines with lower emissions and greater efficiency.
Thank you so much,
Steve Breedlove
California

[Norman Soifer]

Oxyhydrogen injection systems are the best solution for fuel-efficiency and emissions. HHO Generation llc makes oxyhydrogen injection systems, also called HHO generators, which produce HHO gas (Hydrogen, Hydrogen and Oxygen ) by electrolysis of water. HHO,also called called Browns gas or Hydroxy gas,is added to the air supply for faster ignition and more complete combustion in gasoline or diesel powered engines.

The first benefit of HHO injection is an increase in miles per gallon as hydrogen and oxygen are added to the combustion mixture. The second benefit is a decrease in tailpipe emissions. Based on our tests with various prototypes, the fuel savings can be in the 30-35% range on newer four cylinder gasoline engines, 35-45% on older gasoline V8's, and 40-60% on diesels with the older models showing the largest increase. Engine condition, driving patterns and other factors significantly affect the results. These are preliminary results and we are continuing to do more testing. With more than 100 million internal combustion engines and 8.9 million diesel engines in the U.S., the cost saving of this technology is obvious and the reduction in tail pipe emissions is enormous.

References and Links:

U.S. Dept. of Transportation GUIDELINES FOR USE OF HYDROGEN FUEL IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES Final Report Nov. 2007 HYDROGEN INJECTION SYSTEMS: "Hydrogen injection systems create small amounts of hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis to supplement not replace the diesel fuel in a standard diesel engine. A hydroxy injection system for a diesel engine produces hydrogen and oxygen on demand by electrolyzing water carried onboard the vehicle. The electricity required is supplied by the engine’s alternator or 12/24-volt electrical system. A hydrogen injection system for a diesel engine produces and uses significantly less hydrogen than a hydrogen fuel cell or hydrogen fueled engine, and does not require that compressed or liquid hydrogen be carried on the vehicle. The system is designed only to produce hydrogen when required in response to driver throttle commands. When the system is shut off, no hydrogen should be present on the vehicle ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER: every molecule of water contains one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. It is relatively simple to separate the hydrogen in water from the oxygen using electricity to run an electrolyzer. An electrolyzer is a galvanic cell composed of an anode and a cathode submerged in a water-based electrolyte. The hydrogen and oxygen are injected into the engine’s air intake manifold, where they mix with the intake air. In theory, the combustion properties of the hydrogen result in more complete combustion of diesel fuel in the engine, reducing tailpipe emissions and improving fuel economy."

NASA NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, Washington DC, Tecnical Note TN D-8487, May 1977 EMISSIONS AND TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF A MULTICYLINDER PISTON ENGINE RUNNING ON GASOLINE AND A HYDROGEN-GASOLINE MIXTURE. http://www.h2-hydro-gen.com/NASA%20ReportEMISSIONS%20AND%20TOTAL%20ENERGY%20CONSUMPTION%20OF%20A%20MULTICYLINDER%20PISTON%20ENGINE%20RUNNING%20ON%20GASOLINE%20AND%20A%20HYDROGEN-GASOLINE%20MIXTURE.pdf

Mr. Charles H. Frazer patented the first "Hydrogen Booster" system for internal combustion engines in 1918 . USA Patent.No. 1,262,034. He stated that his invention: 1 - increases the efficiency of internal combustion engines. 2 - Complete combustion of hydrocarbons. 3 - Engine will stay cleaner. 4 - Lower grade of fuel can be used with equal performance. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1262034.pdf

Sports car with built in HHO injection: Ronn Motors' Scorpion: the First to Implement Hydrogen Boosting "New $150,000 green sports car will integrate an on-board electrolysis unit to inject hydrogen into the air intake to catalyze a more efficient burn of the petrol, increasing its mileage by 20-40%." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV4QK-NJEEA&feature=player_embedded

Police Department and Mayor endorses HHO System: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=176h_I51Kgk&feature=player_embedded

[Scott Hewitt]

Ray, I applaud the efforts of this proposal and I truely believe this is a very wonderful step in the direction to end wasteful usage of valuable fuel, however I do think we need to focus on how this will comprimise safety in the ways of drivers' rest. As much as I want to do my part to both minimize green house gases and end needless idling, I am forced to look at how are these technologies going to affect the quality of sleep a commercial driver gets on his/her mandated 10 hour break. As for the apu's, you should really smell the exaust that is emmitted by them. Many times I have tried to sleep with the vents open on my truck and without fail, I have a driver pull up beside me and run his/her apu. The gases they emmitt will make one sick.
Let's please take a closer look at the options and then we can make a better determination as to which is in the best intrest for both the enviorment and highway safety.

[Chevy HHR cold air intake]

This is a great step. Let's look and move forward to a cleaner future.

[Air Intake Kits]

Fuel economy, air pollution, global warming, to name only a few issues we are undergoing now. I think it's time the Earth gathered all its forces and be together.