WASHINGTON — The Alliance for Automotive Innovation plans to inform the EPA that its proposal to considerably cut back car emissions by means of the 2032 mannequin 12 months is “neither cheap nor achievable within the timeframe offered.”
The alliance, representing a broad swath of the U.S. auto business together with most automakers, mentioned the proposed rule is “so stringent” that it’s “a de facto battery-electric car mandate,” in line with a memo launched Wednesday.
The EPA in April unveiled its strictest-ever car air pollution requirements for automobiles and lightweight vans for the 2027-32 mannequin years, requiring 13 p.c fleetwide common emission reductions annually and a 56 p.c discount in common emission goal ranges from the 2026 mannequin 12 months.
If finalized, the proposed requirements might imply EVs would make up greater than half of new-vehicle gross sales by the 2030 mannequin 12 months and two-thirds by 2032. It could mark a large leap from the present market, with EVs accounting for 7 p.c of U.S. light-vehicle registrations within the first quarter of this 12 months, in line with Automotive Information knowledge.
The EPA in a press release to Automotive Information mentioned it “plans to submit a response to feedback within the docket for all feedback, in line with … necessities underneath the Administrative Process Act and the Clear Air Act.”
The general public remark interval for the proposal closes July 5.
Neither Biden nor his administration has referred to as for a ban on gross sales of latest combustion engine automobiles by a sure date — actions which can be underway in locations comparable to California and the European Union.
The EPA’s proposal additionally doesn’t mandate a selected know-how comparable to EVs. As an alternative, it’s designed to permit automakers to satisfy the performance-based necessities by means of a number of pathways, together with effectivity enhancements in inner combustion engine automobiles.
For instance, the company tasks the requirements will drive widespread use of gasoline particulate filters to scale back emissions and help utilizing different carbon dioxide-reducing applied sciences.
Nonetheless, the alliance argues the EPA’s proposed guidelines “can’t be met with out considerably growing the price of all automobiles, lowering shopper selection and disadvantaging main parts of the U.S. inhabitants and territory.”
Moreover, the group mentioned the EPA “unrealistically assumes … an over-abundance of battery vital mineral mines, vital mineral processing capability and battery element, cell and pack manufacturing services result in continued battery value reductions.”
It additionally argues the proposal underestimates the price of EV batteries, overestimates the supply of shopper and manufacturing tax credit comparable to these within the Inflation Discount Act and wrongly excludes plug-in hybrids and gas cells from its projections.
In a weblog submit printed Wednesday, Alliance CEO John Bozzella mentioned the EPA proposal would require automakers to “eke out some incremental enhancements by putting in costly new know-how on all inner combustion engines,” whereas doubtlessly taking capital away from investments in electrification.
Bozzella additionally referred to as on the EPA to sync up its proposal with the California Air Assets Board and NHTSA’s still-to-come gas economic system requirements.
“The following couple years are make or break,” he wrote. “The auto business is making big progress on electrification and continued enhancements to inner combustion engine know-how. Do not toss it away now. Let’s come out of this course of with a balanced, achievable and sturdy rule that maintains buyer selection and would not blunt America’s EV momentum.”
The group’s extra detailed criticism comes after Bozzella instructed the EPA to “ease up and reassess” its proposal.
“If U.S. regulators and policymakers transfer too quick on EV mandates over the subsequent a number of years, I predict China positive aspects a stronger foothold in America’s EV battery provide chain and finally our automotive market,” he mentioned in a weblog submit earlier this month.