Clean Car Campaign

Emissions

Even the cleanest and most efficient vehicle on the market today still pollutes the air and otherwise damages the environment. Motor vehicles emit several noxious pollutants which vehicle emissions standards are designed to regulate:

Hydrocarbons (HC) are volatile organic compounds that cause smog and are toxic and carcinogenic.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that impairs the flow of oxygen to the brain and other parts of the body.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) aggravate respiratory problems, both directly and indirectly, by forming PM and smog; NOx also causes acid rain and damages aquatic environments.
Fine airborne particulate matter (PM) causes lung trouble - shortness of breath, worsening of respiratory disease and heart conditions, lung damage, and cancer.

Currently, all new vehicles for sale in the United States (outside of California, New York, and Massachusetts) are certified to meet the Tier 1 Federal emissions standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tier 1 limits the amount of HC, CO, NOx, and PM coming from a vehicle's tailpipe and leaking from its fuel system. Vehicles sold in California, New York and Massachusetts must meet more stringent emission standards established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and adopted by the other two states.

To continue to improve air quality, tighter standards are needed nationally. CARB has already established stricter standards set to begin in model year 2004. Its Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (SULEV) standard is the cleanest emission standard that a gasoline vehicle can meet. EPA has proposed a somewhat less stringent program -- Federal Tier 2 standards -- also set to begin in model year 2004. The Tier 2 proposal has an emissions standard almost identical to California's SULEV standard that automakers could begin certifying to as early as MY2001. SULEV represents today's state-of-the-art in emissions control, and is a substantial leap forward compared to the current federal standard. The Clean Car Campaign has therefore adopted the SULEV standard.

The table below compares the SULEV standard to the current Federal Tier 1 standard. It shows that to achieve the Clean Car Campaign-SULEV Standard, vehicle emissions must be reduced by 76 to 97 percent from current levels. This can be achieved through improved engine and catalytic-based control technologies, representing best practice for gasoline vehicle emissions currently available. By applying this standard to vehicles sold nationally, improvements in air quality can be achieved across the country. This Clean Car Standard also applies to both passenger cars and light-trucks.

A COMPARISON OF EMISSIONS STANDARDS
Pollutant	Clean Car Campaign-SULEV Standard (grams/mile)	Current Federal Standard - Tier 1 (grams/mile)	Reduction (percent)
Hydrocarbons (HC)	0.01	0.31	97%
Carbon Monoxide (CO)	1.0	4.2	76%
Nitrous Oxides (NOx)	0.02	0.6	97%
Particulate Matter (PM)	0.01	0.10	90%
Notes: Standards for light-duty trucks are less stringent in certain cases under Tier 1 standards. The same Clean Car Campaign-SULEV Standard applies to both passenger cars and light-trucks. Reductions based on a simple comparison of emissions standards for light-duty automobiles. SULEV standards are based on a 120,000 mile lifetime instead of a 100,000 mile lifetime for Tier 1 standards. Achieving the full benefit of SULEV emissions control technologies requires use of low-sulfur fuel, which is required in California but not yet available nationwide. Nevertheless, a vehicle that meets the SULEV standard still will be cleaner than an average vehicle. Since most vehicles stay on the road for many years, its emissions performance will improve as low-sulfur fuel is phased in starting in 2004 under the new fuel quality standards that EPA has proposed under Tier 2.

Modern engine controls and improved catalyst design make these further emission reductions one of the cheapest pollution control options available to society. The technologies to reach the SULEV standard are further refinements to existing technologies. Achieving the full benefit of SULEV emissions control technologies, however, requires the use of low-sulfur fuel. At this time, low-sulfur gasoline is only required in California, and is not yet available nationwide. Nevertheless, substantial emission benefits are expected from SULEV technology even when they are not fueled on relatively clean, lower-sulfur gasoline. Furthermore, SULEV-certified vehicles outside of California will likely be able to take full advantage of their advanced control technologies when lower-sulfur gasoline is required nationally starting in 2004 as part of the EPA's proposed Tier 2 program. However, because the effects of sulfur can vary by design, we also are requesting manufacturers provide the campaign with data demonstrating substantial emissions reductions when operating with average nationwide gasoline.

The first SULEV-certified vehicles are already coming to the market in California. Honda, for example, has announced that they will offer SULEV-certified vehicles in California for MY2000. Toyota has stated that the Prius hybrid car will also meet SULEV emission standards when it comes to market in mid-2000. Nissan's MY2000 Sentra has been certified as PZEV (Partial credit for Zero Emissions Vehicle), which exceeds the SULEV standard. The Clean Car Standard challenges automakers to offer SULEV-certified vehicles nationally, thus improving air quality and reducing human health risks across the country.