The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new proposed federal vehicle emissions standards could help to significantly boost electric vehicle sales in the country.
The tighter new emissions standards, announced on April 12 by the EPA, would help accelerate the transition to electric vehicles while also helping to manage the climate crisis by reducing harmful air pollution, lowering maintenance costs, and providing fuel savings — according to the EPA.
“Depending on the compliance pathways manufacturers select to meet the standards, EPA projects that EVs could account for 67 per cent of new light-duty vehicle sales and 46 per cent of new medium-duty vehicle sales in MY 2032,” said the EPA in its news release.
They also said the proposed model year 2032 light-duty standards are expected to lower projected fleet average greenhouse gas emissions target levels by 56 per cent, when compared to the existing 2026 standards. And the proposed model year 2032 medium-duty vehicle standards would lead to a 44 per cent reduction — again compared to 2026 standards.
“The proposed standards align with commitments made by automakers and U.S. states as they plan to accelerate clean vehicle technologies in the light- and medium-duty fleets in the next 10 to 15 years,” said the EPA in its news release. “Car and truck companies are moving to include electric vehicles as an integral and growing part of current and future product lines, leading to an increasing diversity of clean vehicles for consumers.”
Automotive industry players in the Canadian market will be eyeing this move by the U.S. federal government, as changes in U.S. emissions standards are often reflected in large part in Canada.
