Heavy-duty vehicles emit air pollution. EPA can change that.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the EPA to finalize Phase 3 regulations for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) covering model years 2027-2032. The document highlights that HDVs contribute 59% of ozone- and particle-forming NOx emissions and 55% of particle pollution in the US, leading to significant health damages and deaths. It asserts that the industry is already transitioning toward zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), citing new battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) models from manufacturers like Mercedes, Nikola, and Tesla. Furthermore, the document details extensive federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) intended to build out charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure, arguing that these resources make strong regulatory standards feasible and necessary.

• Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) are a primary source of dangerous air pollutants in the US, contributing 59% of ozone- and particle-forming NOx emissions and 55% of particle pollution, despite representing a small fraction of on-road vehicles.
• Diesel vehicle emissions caused over 8,800 deaths, 3,700 heart attacks, and approximately $100 billion in monetized health damages in the US in 2023, with disproportionate impacts on low-income communities and people of color.
• The US transportation sector became the largest domestic source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2021, accounting for 28.5% of total emissions, with medium- and heavy-duty vehicles emitting about 417.1 million metric tons CO2e annually.
• The HDV market is actively transitioning to zero-emission technologies, with manufacturers introducing battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) for long-haul and vocational use, such as the Mercedes eActros 600 and Nikola's Class 8 FCEV.
• Significant federal funding is available to support HDV decarbonization and infrastructure, including $7.5 billion for ZEV charging infrastructure and $8 billion for regional clean hydrogen hubs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

APA

Saltzman, V. (2024). Heavy-duty vehicles emit air pollution. EPA can change that. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2024/01/heavy-duty-vehicles-emit-air-pollution-epa-change-that/

Chicago

Saltzman, Veronica. Heavy-duty vehicles emit air pollution. EPA can change that. Clean Air Task Force, 2024. https://www.catf.us/2024/01/heavy-duty-vehicles-emit-air-pollution-epa-change-that/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Saltzman |first1=Veronica |title=Heavy-duty vehicles emit air pollution. EPA can change that. |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=18 January 2024 |url=https://www.catf.us/2024/01/heavy-duty-vehicles-emit-air-pollution-epa-change-that/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{saltzman2024heavyduty, author = {Saltzman, Veronica}, title = {{Heavy-duty vehicles emit air pollution. EPA can change that.}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://www.catf.us/2024/01/heavy-duty-vehicles-emit-air-pollution-epa-change-that/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }