GCC: General Motors calls for National Zero Emissions Vehicle (NZEV) program in the US

In comments being filed today on the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, the Trump Administration’s proposal to freeze fuel economy regulations, General Motors proposes the establishment of a National Zero Emissions Vehicle (NZEV) program to support a 50-state solution, promote the success of the US automotive industry and preserve US industrial leadership. . . .

General Motors supports a nationwide program modeled on the existing ZEV program and provides these framework recommendations:

• Establish ZEV requirements (by credits) each year, starting at 7% in 2021 and increasing 2% each year to 15% by 2025, then 25% by 2030.
  
  Use of a crediting system modeled on the current ZEV program: credits per vehicle, based on EV range, as well as averaging, banking and trading.
  
  Requirements after 2025 linked to path toward commercially viable EV battery cell availability at a cost of $70/kWh and adequate EV infrastructure development.
  
  Establishment of a Zero Emissions Task Force to promote complementary policies.
  
  Program terminates when 25% target is met, or based on a determination that the battery cost or infrastructure targets are not practicable within the timeframe.
  
  Additional consideration for EVs deployed as autonomous vehicles and in rideshare programs.

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GRA said:

Program terminates when 25% target is met, or based on a determination that the battery cost or infrastructure targets are not practicable within the timeframe.

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GM says it favors fuel-efficiency rules based on historic rates

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General Motors backs an annual increase in fuel-efficiency standards based on "historic rates" rather than tough Obama era rules or a Trump administration proposal that would freeze requirements, according to a federal filing made public on Monday.

The largest U.S. automaker said the Obama rules that aimed to hike fleet fuel efficiency to more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025 are "not technologically feasible or economically practicable."

The Detroit automaker said that since 1980, the motor vehicle fleet has improved fuel efficiency at an average rate of 1 percent a year.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said in separate comments that the auto industry is complying with existing fuel efficiency requirements by using credits from prior model years.

As a result, even if requirements are frozen at 2020 levels, "the industry would need to continue to improve fuel economy" as credits expire, it added, warning if the government hikes standards beyond 2020 requirements "the situation worsens ... without some significant form of offset or flexibility."

Fiat Chrysler and Ford urged the government to reclassify two-wheel drive SUVs as light trucks, which face less stringent requirements than cars. A four-wheel drive version of the same SUV is considered a light truck.

Ford backs fuel rules "that increase year-over-year with additional flexibility to help us provide more affordable options for our customers. . . ."

The administration of former President Obama had adopted rules, effective in 2021, calling for an annual increase of 4.4 percent in fuel-efficiency requirements from 2022 through 2025. . . .

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GM's national electric car plan may not be all that, scientist argues

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Just as General Motors prepared to release record profits on Wednesday, the respected Union of Concerned Scientists took issue with the company's plan last week to develop a plan to require electric car sales nationwide.

GM is a leader in electric cars and is expected to be the second automaker to reach the 200,000-vehicle limit on tax credits for its buyers.

The plan was widely praised among environmentalists, who have lamented that so many electric cars are available only in California, seeing that as a limitation to the market.

Not so fast, says David Reichmuth, a senior clean-vehicles engineer at UCS.

GM's proposal, he says, could actually reduce the number of electric cars sold by setting lower targets, by focusing marketing efforts in states where they are likely to be less successful, and by giving automakers too much influence over the program.

- Specifically, GM's program would require fewer than 5 percent of electric cars nationwide to be electric by 2025, while California already requires 6 percent market penetration.

- GM's proposal would provide automakers with extra credits for building certain types of electric cars: large pickups and SUVs, self-driving electric-cars, and those sold to ride-sharing fleets. If automakers focused on these types of electric cars, it could allow them to build even fewer actual electric cars than the 5-percent target. And that brings up Reichmuth's third problem with the plan:

- The proposal gives automakers an out if either battery prices don't continue to fall as anticipated or if widespread charging infrastructure fails to materialize. Yet investments by automakers have been a primary driver of both trends. Tesla's Supercharger network is one of the largest in the U.S., and Volkswagen subsidiary Electrify America is planning one of the next biggest networks. Many charging networks have automakers as investors. Ford, BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen have partnered to build the largest network in Europe to aid in marketing their electric cars. . . .

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