Cancellation of auto emission goals could change vehicle designs

With the Environmental Protection Agency's leadership showing a desire to dump fuel efficiency standards, automakers may be looking to dump lightweighting efforts, which means less aluminum in future designs.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision in April to re-evaluate emission standards for lightweight vehicles for model years 2022-2025 sets up a battle at the agency between auto manufacturers that want greenhouse gas emission standards lowered and aluminum and steel fabricators that want the standards set by the Barack Obama administration to stay in force.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s decision essentially downgrades the importance of “lightweighting” of passenger cars and light trucks, something that has been an imperative for the past decade. The federal regulations pushing for lighter vehicles, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) levels, have resulted in the increasing use of aluminum and lightweight steel in various auto parts. In theory, lighter vehicles across a manufacturer’s product lineup translate into higher fuel efficiency and fewer carbon emissions.

The car companies contend the Obama standards for more efficient vehicles and higher CAFE standards in 2022-2025 cannot be met because of lower gas prices, which encourage people to purchase gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles; an increased preference for fuel-thirsty light trucks over cars; and sluggish demand for high-fuel-economy vehicles, such as plug-in electrics. Pruitt agreed and announced in April that the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will develop a notice and comment rulemaking to set more appropriate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and CAFE standards.

The Auto Alliance, the trade group for automobile manufacturers domestic and foreign, called Pruitt’s announcement the right decision.

“Today’s announcement was the expected necessary step that sets in motion a future rulemaking where the government will propose a range of alternatives—sharing the data gathered to support various options—and seek public comments,” the group said.

The Aluminum Association had spent much of 2017 trying to convince the Trump administration that progress in lightweighting of vehicles made the Obama-set 2022-2025 standards still feasible. Asked whether his group agreed with Pruitt’s April 2018 decision, Matt Meenan, the Aluminum Association’s spokesman, said, “We don’t take a position on specific fuel economy targets. But we do say that in an environment of increased consumer and regulatory demands for better fuel economy in cars and trucks, aluminum can help OEMs make more efficient, better-performing, and safer cars and trucks.”

Automakers have actively incorporated more aluminum in their models. For example, Hyundai’s 2017 Ioniq’s use of aluminum in the hood and tailgate reduced weight by 27 lbs. when compared to a design that might have relied on conventional steel. Even with the use of aluminum, the vehicle demonstrated no measurable disadvantage in noise of vibration when compared to a steel vehicle.

Jim Trainor, a Hyundai spokesman, declined to comment on whether loosening the 2022-2025 CAFE standards would slow his company’s drive to lightweight its vehicles.

Metal Fabricators Favor End to Clean Power Plan

A number of metal fabrication sector trade groups have weighed in in favor of the EPA ditching the Clean Power Plan (CPP) announced in 2015 by the Obama administration. The CPP set carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission guidelines for existing power plants that would generally require electric generators to move from coal as a power input to natural gas, solar, and wind.

Miles Free, director, industry research and technology, Precision Machined Products Association, told the EPA that a 2017 survey of his membership, typically job shops with 35-50 employees, showed 68 percent of members spend more than $100,000 on electricity annually.

“Even using the CPP’s low estimate of a 20 percent jump in electricity prices means that each PMPA member could see annual increases of over $20,000,” he wrote. “Our members, the industry, and country are much better served by manufacturers using that $20,000 to hire a young apprentice and putting him or her on a solid career path rather than sending it to utilities and government regulators.”