On 31 March, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the final rule for The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles for Model Years 2021-2026. The final rule requires a 1.5% year-over-year increase in fuel efficiency and reduction in GHG emissions standards, which will result in projected overall industry averages of 40.4 mpg and 199 g/mile CO₂ in 2026. (Earlier post.)

In response, MECA (Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association), commented:

Suppliers of emission control and efficiency technologies will continue to innovate and introduce new advancements to further improve fuel efficiency while continuing to lower tailpipe emissions across the light-duty vehicle fleet. We believe the industry could exceed the relaxed US efficiency standards as it must meet tighter standards in Europe, China, Japan, Korea and India.

MECA members look forward to an expanded role for suppliers in off-cycle credit programs as to be defined in subsequent EPA technical amendments rulemakings.

—Rasto Brezny, MECA Executive Director

The industry is a leader in the advancement of technologies in response to performance-based regulations that serve to protect the environment and human health while supporting a diverse range of clean fuel-efficient vehicles that meet the varied needs of consumers. These innovative technologies include catalytic and evaporative emissions controls, advanced fuel injection, downsized GDI engines, turbochargers, cooled-EGR systems, dynamic cylinder deactivation, OBD systems as well as hybrid and fuel cell powertrain systems, batteries, electric components and controls.

Over the past 50 years, mobile source emission reduction policies have not only delivered important health benefits but have also helped create an industry with a significant number of well paying highly skilled jobs and a global economic reach. MECA member companies represent more than 70,000 of the nearly 300,000 North American jobs building the technologies that improve the fuel economy and reduce emissions of today’s vehicles.

This employment figure does not include the tens of thousands of additional jobs in the automobile, truck, and off-road equipment assembly manufacturing industries.

MECA is concerned that as this relaxed rule in the US continues to be litigated in the coming months, future investments in jobs and technology development could be diverted to those countries that have adopted more stringent fuel efficiency standards.

Founded in 1976, MECA is a nonprofit trade association of the world’s leading manufacturers of clean mobility technologies for all mobile sources.