MEMA Releases Statement on California Midterm Review of New Vehicle Emissions Standards

On Monday, March 20, MEMA submitted comments to the California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board (ARB) on “California’s Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) Midterm Review:  Summary Report for the Technical Analysis of the Light Duty Vehicle Standards” (Summary Report).
ARB’s Summary Report is a Midterm Review of California’s Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) program, a comprehensive set of standards for new vehicles in California through model year 2025. The components of the ACC program are regulations that reduce criteria pollutants and greenhouse (GHG) emissions from light and medium-duty vehicles for model years 2015 through 2025 and the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) regulation, which mandates vehicle manufacturers to produce increasing numbers of pure ZEVs in the 2018 through 2025 model years.
MEMA’s comments to ARB addresses:

• Collaboration with EPA and NHTSA to provide the industry with a harmonized National Program;

• Continuation of the alignment with the National Program by maintaining the “deemed to comply” provision allowing for compliance with the adopted EPA GHG standards for MYs 2022 – 2025;

• Providing further flexibilities, including additional performance-based credits for Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PHEV) in the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program; and,

• Maintenance of the phase-in of the 1 milligram per mile (mg/mi) Particulate Standard (PM) starting with MY2025 vehicles.

The ARB Midterm Review is important for motor vehicle suppliers as they play a significant role in developing innovative materials and technologies that improve vehicle performance, fuel efficiency and emissions. A harmonized National Program provides regulatory clarity and certainty that are critical for suppliers to make the necessary long-term business and technology investment decisions to help vehicle manufactures meet California’s standards and regulations.