New Fuel Standards

Today, the Obama administration will announce new fuel standards for trucks and other large vehicles.

Senior administration officials said the new targets affect three categories of vehicles.

Big rigs or semis will have to slash fuel consumption and production of heat-trapping gases by up to 23 percent. Gasoline-powered heavy-duty pickups and vans will have to cut consumption by 10 percent, or by 15 percent if the vehicles run on diesel fuel.

The standards also prescribe a 9 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions for work trucks, which include everything from fire trucks and concrete mixers to garbage trucks and buses, according to the officials, who requested anonymity to speak before the formal announcement.

The standards will be imposed on vehicle model years 2014 to 2018.

Companion post at AWH.