Natural Gas Vehicles for America (NGVAmerica), the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition), the American Gas Association (AGA), and the American Public Gas Association (APGA) submitted comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) related to their proposed Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks.
In their submission, the advocates called upon NHTSA and EPA to use this rulemaking opportunity to expand incentives for NGVs in the light-duty sector; particularly for pickup trucks, work vans, and sport utility vehicles; highlighting several key benefits of natural gas use in transportation.
This rulemaking, along with current market dynamics; growing demand for light trucks, a significant increase in the availability of low-cost domestic natural gas, and the expanded availability of renewable natural gas; provides the right circumstances for the light-duty natural gas vehicle market to expand.
NGVs deserve an equal opportunity to compete in the market based on cost and real-world emission benefits, and government regulators should not effectively mandate a specific clean technology at the exclusion of others. NGVAmerica, the RNG Coalition, AGA, and APGA support changes to the current regulatory framework to incorporate provisions that more fully account for all the environmental benefits of natural gas vehicles, give meaning to statutory provisions intended to encourage NGVs, and incorporate meaningful incentives for manufacturers to produce natural gas vehicles.
NGVAmerica, RNG Coalition, AGA, and APGA recommendations include: align the fuel economy and greenhouse gas credit provisions for NGVs; extend the use of the 0.15 factor for dual fuel vehicles; amend the driving range and drive-to-empty requirement for dual-fuel NGVs; provide stronger sales multiplier credits for the production of NGVs; amend the full-sized pickup truck credits; provide incentives for gaseous-prep vehicles; and ensure the resulting rule supports one, unified national program.
Source: NGVAmerica