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Fuel Efficiency
1) Fuel efficiency improvements
of 1.5 times the fleet average within that vehicle's class
Background:
Improving fuel economy is fundamental to addressing many of the environmental problems associated with motor vehicles. A variety of options exist for improving fuel economy, ranging from numerous refinements in existing designs to advanced technologies that offer larger leaps forward in efficiency. Among the most exiting recent developments in automotive engineering is the fact that some of these "leap forward" advanced technologies are now in widespread commercialization. The resulting designs offer anywhere from 4% to over 50% improvement in fuel economy for a given size or style of vehicle without compromising utility, safety, or performance.
Hybrid powertrains are among the most fuel-efficient technologies. They combine the range and power of an internal combustion engine with the high efficiency of an electric drive. Conventional auto engines are least efficient at low loads, whenever the vehicle is not accelerating rapidly or climbing a hill at freeway speeds. A hybrid powertrain allows the engine to be sized and tuned for higher efficiency under these common driving conditions, and includes an electric motor to provide extra power from a battery as needed to meet peak loads. Because a hybrid powertrain has a battery (or other energy storage device) along with power electronics that manage motor and generator components connected to the wheels, it can also recapture braking energy that would otherwise be lost. This regenerative braking ability serves to further increase fuel efficiency. In the US several vehicles that utilize hybrid powertrains are currently available, and several more will become available by the 2005 model year.
The Toyota Prius was introduced in 2000 and was recently redesigned into the Next Generation Prius, available in 2004. This Next Generation Prius is a mid-sized vehicle with combined fuel economy of 55 mpg. The Prius uses the "Hybrid Synergy Drive" system technology and a specially designed high-efficiency engine to achieve this fuel economy and to achieve an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating (the highest rating possible in California). Its fuel economy is over twice the average of others in the mid-sized class. Last year 53,000 Priuses were sold in the US.
Honda also has hybrid vehicles currently available in the US market, including the Insight and a hybrid version of the Civic. The Insight was the first hybrid vehicle available in the US, introduced in 2000, and is a two-seater coupe. The Insight achieves the best fuel economy of any car sold in the U.S., 65 mpg. It is powered by Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™) system, which combines a 3-cylinder VTEC® engine with a thin, lightweight, electric motor. It comes with a manual transmission and a continuously variable automatic transmission option.
The hybrid Honda Civic offers the look and feel of a conventional compact Civic, but utilized a hybrid powertrain to reach around 50mpg fuel economy and a 650 mile driving distance on a single tank of gas. This is almost twice the average fuel economy of other compact cars. The Civic Hybrid also achieves ULEV and AT-PZEV emission ratings.
The all-new 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid is the cleanest, most fuel-efficient SUV on the US market. It utilizes Ford's version of hybrid technologies including regenerative braking, an electric motor, a nickel-metal-hybride battery, and a continuously variable transmission. It achieves up to 36 miles per gallon in city driving, and also achieves an AT-PZEV emission rating.
The Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid is the first pickup to come equipped with hybrid technology. It offers an "Integrated Starter Generator" (ISG) that replaces the starter and alternator, and allows the gasoline engine to shut off during idling. This technology improves the Silverado's fuel economy by up to 13% and is offered as an optional package on the Silverado. It is currently available to U.S. consumers.
Toyota will also be introducing hybrid SUVs in 2005, including the new Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX hybrids.
Aside from hybrid technologies, there are several other advanced fuel-efficient technologies that are being added to conventional vehicles. Examples of these include engines with variable valve timing, engines with displacement on demand, and advanced transmissions such as continuously variable transmissions, and automatic 5 and 6 speeds. These technologies all improve fuel economy of conventional vehicles by up to 8%. They can be found on current vehicles including the Cadillac CTS/SRX, Pontiac Vibe, Saturn Vue, Ford Five Hundred, Mercury Montego, Ford Freestyle, Chevy Trailblazer EXT, and GMC Envoy XL/XUV.
In addition to advanced powertrain technologies, weight-saving and aerodynamic vehicle body designs can offer significant efficiency improvements as well. The Insight applies weight-saving aluminum structural technologies and aerodynamic styling as well as a hybrid powertrain, all of which contribute to its substantial efficiency achievement. A number of automakers have shown prototype vehicles that use advanced, lightweight materials techniques to cut 40% or more from the weight of a given sized vehicle. Ford has done extensive development and testing on its aluminum-based P2000 platform, which is designed to achieve a 2000 lb curb weight in a mid-sized sedan (the average mid-size sedan now weighs about 3300 pounds). These models are designed to meet or exceed the crashworthiness of today's vehicles, so that safety is not compromised. By itself, a 40% weight reduction offers a 25% fuel economy improvement. A prototype P2000 using an advanced diesel engine was rated at 63 mpg, a 125% improvement over today's typical cars. Diesel pollution problems are yet to be solved, but using a state-of-the-art low-emission gasoline engine would allow an aluminum-based vehicle to easily exceed a 50% fuel economy improvement.
In short, a number of advanced technology options now exist that can be applied to provide more than a 50% improvement in fuel economy while maintaining size, safety, performance and capacity and also meeting very low emissions standards. Hybrid powertrains are one promising approach to achieving such efficiency improvement, but a similar degree of environmental excellence can be attained with improved gasoline engines that utilizes displacement on demand and variable valve timing, advanced transmissions, and lightweight, streamlined structures. All of these technologies are applicable across the size spectrum of the car and light truck market. Thus, the Clean Car Campaign's specification of a 50% increase in fuel economy is a target that any one of the major automakers could reach in the near-term.
Tailpipe Emissions
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.
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Notes:
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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.
Clean Manufacturing Practices
3) Achieves superior
environmental performance in the vehicle's manufacture and use of nontoxic recyclable
materials, to include:
a. best-in-class painting/coating
practices:
A vehicle manufacturer must demonstrate auto body coating practices which
achieve the following level of VOC releases: 2 lbs. VOC/vehicle.
Background:
Painting and coating of automobiles currently results in significant VOC emissions.
It is also a highly energy intensive manufacturing process. Coating practices
are a useful indicator of manufacturing "greenness" because they have important
local health impacts and there is adequate publicly available data to base comparisons
between facilities.
Our vehicle standard for coating practices has been developed by surveying the
actual environmental performance of existing auto paint shops globally, as well
evaluating the performance of emerging coatings technologies. For example, DaimlerChrysler
has established an emission level of approximately 0.5 lbs per vehicle at its
Rastatt, Germany plant using an integrated, water-based powder-slurry paint
system. For US based plants, emissions of approximately 4 lbs per vehicle is
achieved in practice using current technology.
The standard is currently set at a level (2 lbs. VOC/vehicle) which is achievable
in the near term, but also requires auto manufacturers to begin utilizing emerging
coating technologies that result in significantly lower emissions. This level
roughly corresponds to the newly proposed German painting/coating standards,
which is currently being achieved or exceeded at several German auto plants.
The standard is expressed as Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) releases per vehicle
in order to provide a standard which can be used internationally.
b. elimination of heavy metals and other substances of concern:
For a given vehicle, a manufacturer must track and report publicly on its
progress in eliminating the following substances of concern, throughout the
vehicle's life cycle:
- great lakes persistent toxics (glpt's)
- lead
- mercury
- cadmium
- hexavalent chromium
- PVC
- CFC's
- persistent bioaccumulative substances (pbt's)
- chlorinated solvents
- asbestos
In addition, for the following components or processes where known and cost-effective
alternatives are available, a manufacturer should demonstrate complete elimination:
- lead-free electrocoat (auto body anti-corrosion coatings)
- mercury-free lighting/switches
- PVC-free instrument panels, interiors, and undercoating
- CFC-free cooling system
- asbestos-free friction materials and engine gaskets
Background:
A number of substances of concern have been targeted for elimination or reduction
by auto companies and governments. For example, a voluntary agreement between
auto makers and the State of Michigan targeted 65 persistent toxic substances
of concern to the Great Lakes. More recently, the European Commission has targeted
toxic heavy metals and PVC--substances that are of concern for "End of Life
Vehicles." In a Proposed Directive on environmentally friendly handling of End
of Life Vehicles, the Commission has recommended phase-outs of lead, mercury,
cadmium and hexavalent chromium from such vehicles, with the possible addition
of the plastic PVC. Other important international agreements have also targeted
the phase-out of substances such as: CFC's, chlorinated solvents, and asbestos.
Many companies are well on their way toward the elimination of such substances
from their products and production processes.
In accordance with these international efforts, we have established a vehicle
standard that requires the manufacturer to track and report publicly on its
progress in eliminating substances of concern from manufacturing processes throughout
a vehicle's life cycle. We also require complete elimination of such substances
in cases where cost-effective alternatives are available.
c. design for recyclability and maximum use of recycled materials:
Reusability or Recyclability:
A manufacturer must demonstrate that the vehicle is 80% by weight reusable
or recyclable.
Reusable means the part is customarily removed from the car before shredding
and used as is or remanufactured for reuse.
Recyclable means the material is customarily recycled before or after shredding
by separating the material and reprocessing it into usable material for automotive
or other applications. Combustion of a material for energy recovery is not considered
recycling for purposes of this requirement.
Background:
Although a significant portion of the automobile (primarily the metal fraction)
is now routinely reused or recycled, the sheer number of vehicles scrapped results
in about 2.5 to 3.0 million tons of auto shredder residue (ASR) being disposed
of in solid waste landfills each year in the U.S. This residue often contains
heavy metals and other toxic chemicals which can leach into ground water or
surface water. Furthermore, the disposal of this material, comprised mostly
of plastics, rubber, fabric, and glass, represents a tremendous waste of resources.
Faced with a shortage of landfill disposal capacity, several European countries,
such as Sweden and the Netherlands, have mandated Extended Producer Responsibility
for automotive manufacturers for end-of-life vehicles so that they have a strong
incentive to increase recycling. The Dutch end-of-life vehicle recycling program
claims that it is already achieving recycling rates of 86% by weight of vehicles
processed. Automakers have set high goals for vehicle recyclability. Toyota
claims that is has already achieved 85% recyclability and plans to increase
recyclability to 90% by 2000. General Motors has the goal of 90% recyclability
by 2001, and DaimlerChryslers goal is 85% recyclability by 2002. The European
Commission has proposed a new directive, which will likely be adopted, which
mandates minimum reuse and recycling percentages by certain dates. The first
requirement would be for new vehicles to be 80% by weight reusable and recyclable
by 2006. Under this draft, recycling does not include incineration of shredder
residue. German auto manufacturers, including U.S. companies, have agreed to
an 85% goal in Germany to be implemented by 2002, but in Germany incineration
with energy recovery can be used to meet the goal. The Japanese government also
has an 85% reuse and recycling goal by 2002. Based upon these agreements and
goals in the automobile industry, and based upon the technical feasibility of
increasing recycling, we have established the interim green vehicle standard
of 80% reusability or recyclability.
Recycled Material Content:
The manufacturer must demonstrate that the vehicle contains the following
levels of recycled content:
- 20% recycled content for polymer parts
- 20% recycled content for aluminum
- 30% recycled content for ferrous metals
For purposes of this requirement recycled content means a combination of post-industrial
and post-consumer recycled material. The manufacturer must report on the percentage
of recycled content which is post-industrial versus post-consumer.
Background:
Using recycled materials in building automobiles is an important means of closing
the loop on automobile materials from end-of-life vehicles and also creates
markets for recycling materials from other end-of-life products. Using recycled
materials also reduces use of raw materials and energy and reduces pollution
in the production of materials for automotive use. At least two U.S. companies,
Ford and DaimlerChrysler, have set public goals for recycled content of materials
used in building their cars. DaimlerChrysler, for instance, will require suppliers
to provide 20% recycled content for plastic parts by 2000. The above recycled
content levels are comparable to the requirements adopted by these companies.
Producer Responsibility:
The manufacturer must demonstrate that it has a program for designing cars
to enhance reuse and recycling and that it has produced a disassembly manual
which is available to dismantlers and automotive recyclers for the model in
question.
Background:
Some form of producer responsibility for end-of-life vehicles will be necessary
to increase reuse and recycling rates and improve the environmental performance
of dismantlers and shredders. European Extended Producer Responsibility legislation
and agreements have placed a financial responsibility on producers to ensure
that the last owner can turn the vehicle over for reuse and recycling without
incurring any cost. In the United States the current level of reuse and recycling
has been achieved through a market-based infrastructure which accepts end-of-life
vehicles typically without charge to the last owner. Whether higher levels of
reuse and recycling and improved environmental performance of dismantlers and
shredders can be achieved in the United States without jeopardizing the positive
economic value of end-of-life vehicles has yet to be demonstrated. U.S. manufacturers
have instituted programs for designing cars to enhance reuse and recycling and
have conducted research programs to improve the dismantling of vehicles for
reuse and recycling. The proposed European Union Directive would mandate that
manufacturers have such programs and that they provide dismantling manuals for
each car. These basic elements of producer responsibility form the basis for
the standard for producer responsibility.
email: info@cleancarcampaign.org