Ford, Industry Leaders Call On EPA To Implement New Standards For Heavy Duty Vehicles

Today, an alliance of the country’s most prominent names in vehicle and engine manufacturing and supply, the Heavy-duty Leadership Group, released a joint “Statement of Principles” calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize a rule by March 31 to implement new greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The Heavy-duty Leadership Group companies, which called for no delay in EPA’s planned model year 2027 start date, rejected earlier proposals to delay the start of the EPA rule until model year 2030. Industry leaders include:

• BorgWarner
•  Cummins
•  Eaton
•  Ford

The Heavy-duty Leadership Group companies also emphasized the need for regulatory certainty and clear market signals, opposing a so-called “hard-wired off ramp” under which the EPA standards automatically would end or be weakened if specific infrastructure metrics were not achieved. The companies instead urged the EPA to conduct an ongoing EPA “technical assessment” of infrastructure development, battery costs, rare minerals sourcing, and other critical issues.

Companies Willing To Meet Challenge

The companies stressed they are willing to meet the challenge of investing in advanced technologies necessary to progress toward meeting new EPA Greenhouse Gas standards. The Group’s Statement of Principles emphasizes that each Heavy-duty Leadership Group company is committed to “aggressively cutting GHG emissions with near-term milestones and long-term net zero goals.” The Group also stressed the need for a “whole of government approach” to partner with private industry to meet the new EPA standards.

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“BorgWarner is proud to be a founding member of the Heavy-duty Leadership Group supporting the transportation sector’s decarbonization efforts, which is aligned with BorgWarner’s vision of a clean, energy-efficient world,” said Frédéric Lissalde, president and CEO of BorgWarner.

BorgWarner is expanding into broader eMobility products, such as battery charging stations and energy storage solutions. The company’s Charging Forward strategy aligns with a net-zero carbon emissions future.

The Heavy-duty Leadership Group

Initially formed in 2010, The Heavy-duty Leadership Group is an informal alliance of the nation’s leading heavy-duty manufacturers and supply companies that provide solutions for the historic improvements in national greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty engines and vehicles. The Companies credit the EPA’s first two phases of the rule for accelerating the industry’s adoption of advanced technologies while minimizing market disruption. Its members invite other companies aligned with its Statement of Principles to join the HDLG to support EPA in finalizing the Phase 3 rule.

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“Cummins supported EPA’s heavy-duty GHG Phase 1 and Phase 2 rules through the Heavy-duty Leadership Group.  We are stepping up - once again – to join the group to support EPA in finalizing a tough, clear, and enforceable Phase 3 final rule. Phase 3 will provide the regulatory certainty needed to drive industry-wide investment to deliver our next generation of decarbonization technologies,” said Shelley Knust, Vice President of Product Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at Cummins.

Building on the success of Phase 1 and 2 standards, these companies stand ready to put more efficient technology on the road to meet the standards currently in development. Especially electrification infrastructure that is essential to the widespread adoption of pollution-free technologies.

“As a leader in the heavy-duty vehicle industry and a company focused on managing power efficiently and sustainably, Eaton strongly supports EPA’s efforts to drive decarbonization in the transportation sector,” said Scott Adams, senior vice president, Global Products, Eaton’s Mobility Group. “Eaton is prepared to support emissions reduction goals with advanced powertrain and electrified vehicle technologies that can help achieve the standards in EPA’s proposed Phase 3 Heavy Duty Greenhouse Gas rule in model year 2027.”

Group Wants Earlier Phase-In

Eaton is committed to reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral.

“We’re proud to join the call for clear and consistent greenhouse gas emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Our industry is making important progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in light- and heavy-duty vehicles. We also need policymakers to pair emission standards with incentives and public investment so that we can continue to deliver on the next generation of vehicles and for our nation to lead the future of this industry,” said Cynthia Williams, Global Director of sustainability, Homologation & Compliance at Ford Motor Company

Ford is committed to achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050 - and in Europe no later than 2035 – across Scope 1, 2, and 3, focusing on three areas that account for , focusing on three areas that account for approximately 95% of our carbon emissions: our vehicles, operations and supply chain. 

Phase 3 national heavy-duty efficiency and emissions standards apply to vehicles ranging from pickup trucks to big-rig tractors, including 18-wheelers, sanitation trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles. The standards would complement the criteria pollutant standards for MY 2027 and beyond heavy-duty vehicles that the EPA finalized in December 2022. According to the EPA, the projected net benefits of the heavy-duty proposal range from $180 billion to $320 billion.

Ford Motor Photo

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.