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From: wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Emissions standards and who is required to meet them
Message-ID: <590@bonnie.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Oct-85 15:21:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: bonnie.590
Posted: Mon Oct 21 15:21:08 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Oct-85 05:22:41 EDT
References: <2107@vrdxhq.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany NJ
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> I had a discussion with a friend today about emissions standards, and who is
> required to meet them.  My understanding is that all gasoline-powered  auto-
> mobiles sold in  America, both foreign and  domestic, are  required to  meet 
> the same emissions standards, as well  as the  CAFE  (Corporate Average Fuel
> Economy).  My friend's understanding is that foreign cars  are not  required
> to meet the emissions standards that  American  automobiles  are required to
> meet.  He refers especially to the fact that all American cars had catalytic
> converters starting in 1975.

All cars (US and foreign, gas and diesel) are required to meet emissions standards
based on year of manufacture.  Emission standards are in quantity per vehicle,
so that as the requirements were phased in in the '70s, cars with efficient
small engines (like many Japanese cars) were able to meet the requirements for
a few extra years before going to cat converters.  Cat converters per se are not
required, but I don't think any cars now can meet the requirements without them.
Diesels are also covered for the same pollutants (sulpher dioxide,nitrous oxide,
carbon monoxide); they seem not to be covered because they produce a lot of
particulate (soot), whick is not covered.

The CAFE only applies to corporations selling above a certain number of
vehicles per year (I don't know the number off hand).  Thus Ferrari does not
have to worry about fuel economy unless they get a lot more popular (but they
do have to worry about emissions).

Bill Hery