WASHINGTON — The U.S. Vitality Division is proposing an replace to a decades-old calculation that determines the petroleum-equivalent gas economic system of electrical autos for NHTSA’s gas economic system requirements.

The proposed rule-making is in response to a 2021 petition submitted by two environmental teams, the Pure Sources Protection Council and Sierra Membership, which argued the calculation is outdated and resulted in “considerably inflated” EV gas economic system values.

“Excessively excessive imputed gas economic system values for EVs implies that a comparatively small variety of EVs will mathematically assure compliance with out significant enhancements within the real-world common gas economic system of automakers’ total fleets,” the petition mentioned.

For instance, making use of the present calculation to a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning electrical pickup ends in a score equal of about 238 mpg. Below the proposed rule-making — which lowers the petroleum-equivalency issue for EVs to 23,160 watt-hours per gallon from 82,049 — the score can be decreased to about 67 mpg.

The present calculation results in an “overvaluation of EVs” in figuring out fleetwide company common gas economic system (CAFE) requirements, permitting automakers to keep up less-efficient inside combustion engine autos of their fleet by utilizing “a number of EV fashions” to adjust to the requirements, the division mentioned in its proposal.

“This runs counter to the necessity of the nation to preserve power, notably petroleum. Encouraging adoption of EVs can scale back petroleum consumption however giving an excessive amount of credit score for that adoption can result in elevated internet petroleum use as a result of it allows decrease gas economic system amongst typical autos, which characterize by far nearly all of autos offered,” the division mentioned.

“Furthermore,” the division continued, “opposite to the unique intent behind the gas content material issue, ‘excessively excessive imputed gas economic system values for EVs’ also can act as a disincentive to producers to supply further EVs if producers can obtain CAFE compliance with a comparatively small variety of EVs.”

To make certain, NHTSA is prohibited from contemplating the gas economic system of EVs when figuring out its most possible CAFE requirements for a given mannequin yr. Nonetheless, the company should embrace EVs when calculating compliance with these requirements.

The Vitality Division is also required to overview the rules yearly and decide the suitable petroleum-equivalent gas economic system values for EVs primarily based on elements together with particular driving patterns for EVs vs. inside combustion engine autos and the necessity for the U.S. to preserve all types of power. The division has not revised the calculation since 2000.

If finalized, the proposal would take impact with 2027 mannequin yr autos. The up to date calculation additionally would apply to NHTSA’s forthcoming gas economic system requirements, that are anticipated to cowl 2027-31 mannequin years.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents main automakers and different auto corporations within the U.S., in a press release Tuesday mentioned “coordination between this and upcoming rule-makings associated to greenhouse gases and gas economic system will likely be vital to the profitable transition” to EVs.

In feedback submitted Feb. 28, 2022, the alliance requested the division to coordinate its rule-making with NHTSA’s gas economic system requirements, with at the very least an 18-month lead time.

“The rising market share of EVs provides vital complexity to the choice on whether or not to undertake a rule-making presently and, in that case, what actions to suggest,” the group mentioned final yr. “No matter motion DOE decides to take, it wants to contemplate the persevering with have to encourage EV investments, interactions with each NHTSA’s CAFE and EPA’s GHG rulemaking, and automakers’ reliance pursuits on the current [petroleum-equivalency factor] to keep away from unintended penalties.”