In September 2011 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the final rule to set standards regulating the fuel use of new vehicles heavier than 8,500 lbs. gross vehicle weight. Included in the new standards are pickup trucks over 8,500 lbs., cargo trucks over 8,500 lbs., and passenger vans over 10,000 lbs. Standards were set separately for gasoline and diesel vehicles, on a scale that depends on a "work factor." The work factor, which is expressed in pounds, takes into account the vehicle's payload capacity, towing capacity, and whether or not the vehicle is four-wheel drive (see note below for work factor details). Standards for the years 2014 and 2015 are voluntary, but standards are mandatory thereafter.
Fuel Consumption Target Standards for Gasoline Heavy Pickups and Vans, 2014-2018
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Fuel Consumption Target Standards for Diesel Heavy Pickups and Vans, 2014-2018
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Note: Work factor is a weighted average of 25% towing capacity and 75% payload capacity. An additional 500 lbs. is added to payload capacity when the vehicle is four-wheel drive.
Supporting Information
| Work Factor (pounds) | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline Vehicles | |||||
| 0 | 4.17 | 4.15 | 4.07 | 3.98 | 3.81 |
| 1,000 | 4.71 | 4.69 | 4.60 | 4.50 | 4.31 |
| 2,000 | 5.25 | 5.23 | 5.13 | 5.02 | 4.80 |
| 3,000 | 5.80 | 5.77 | 5.65 | 5.53 | 5.30 |
| 4,000 | 6.34 | 6.31 | 6.18 | 6.05 | 5.79 |
| 5,000 | 6.88 | 6.85 | 6.71 | 6.57 | 6.29 |
| 6,000 | 7.42 | 7.38 | 7.24 | 7.09 | 6.78 |
| 7,000 | 7.96 | 7.92 | 7.77 | 7.61 | 7.28 |
| 8,000 | 8.51 | 8.46 | 8.29 | 8.12 | 7.77 |
| 9,000 | 9.05 | 9.00 | 8.82 | 8.64 | 8.27 |
| Diesel Vehicles | |||||
| 0 | 3.61 | 3.60 | 3.48 | 3.37 | 3.14 |
| 1,000 | 4.08 | 4.07 | 3.93 | 3.81 | 3.55 |
| 2,000 | 4.55 | 4.53 | 4.38 | 4.24 | 3.96 |
| 3,000 | 5.02 | 5.00 | 4.84 | 4.68 | 4.37 |
| 4,000 | 5.49 | 5.46 | 5.29 | 5.12 | 4.78 |
| 5,000 | 5.96 | 5.93 | 5.74 | 5.56 | 5.19 |
| 6,000 | 6.43 | 6.40 | 6.19 | 5.99 | 5.59 |
| 7,000 | 6.9 | 6.86 | 6.64 | 6.43 | 6.00 |
| 8,000 | 7.37 | 7.33 | 7.10 | 6.87 | 6.41 |
| 9,000 | 7.84 | 7.79 | 7.55 | 7.30 | 6.82 |
Note: This table shows targets by 1,000-lb work factor increments. Actual standards move on a sliding scale as shown in the graph. | |||||