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Jonathan Morrison signs interpretive rule to remove separate fuel-efficiency standards for heavy-duty truck engines

NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison signed an interpretive rule on August 31 concluding that the agency lacks the legal authority to regulate truck engines as separate components from complete vehicles. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 did not explicitly grant the agency authority over engines alone, leading the agency to determine that an engine is not a vehicle. While the existing standards remain in the regulations, the agency will no longer enforce the separate engine requirements while it prepares a future rulemaking to rewrite the program. The administration announced that this change will provide manufacturers with more freedom to develop their own approaches to fuel efficiency, allowing them to trade off engine efficiency against other components like tires, transmissions, and aerodynamics. The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association welcomed the review, stating that the current standards without modification would restrict customer choices. Conversely, the Sierra Club noted that loosening these standards may increase dependence on diesel and expose businesses to volatile fuel prices. The agency plans to revise the program through a future notice-and-comment rulemaking process.

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