ONMC - Technical Working Groups
On April 11th, 2018, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) hosted a public workshop to discuss the need for reducing emissions from On-Road Motorcycles (ONMC) as a part of CARB's mobile source emissions reduction goals. CARB's Mobile Source Strategy calls for an 80% reduction in ozone forming emissions in the south coast and a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions statewide. CARB staff has determined that ONMC are a mobile sources category for which cost effective emissions reductions can be achieved.
The European Union (EU) has recently adopted new Euro 4 standards for L-category vehicles starting with model year 2016, with a push towards Euro 5 standards in model year 2020. EU standards are much more stringent than current CARB standards, and CARB staff is considering harmonizing with the Euro 5 standards as a potential path to obtaining significant emissions reductions in a cost effective manner. However, there are challenges involved with harmonization including understanding Euro 5 differences from current CARB testing and certification procedures. A more detailed discussion of the benefits and challenges of harmonizing with EU standards for ONMC was given in the April 2018 ONMC workshop presentation.
CARB is currently working with manufacturers and stakeholders through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) to address concerns relating to ONMC regulatory development and challenges related to potential Euro 5 harmonization. These TWGs will meet monthly (as necessary) and will address four key areas:
- Testing Protocols: This TWG will address technical differences between the EU and CARB testing procedures, and will focus on differences in test fuels, drive cycles, evaporative test procedures, etc.
- Procedures: This TWG will address challenges related to streamlining the certification process across jurisdictions.
- Verification: This group will focus on the need for assessing in-use performance of certified ONMC and maximizing benefits of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) systems that are required on ONMC per EU standards.
- ZEM Incentives: This group will look into ways that CARB can accelerate the development and widespread consumer acceptance of Zero-Emissions Motorcycles (ZEMs), including consumer rebates and regulatory programs such as fleet emissions averaging, and credits for ZEM sales.
TWG meetings will begin in June 2018, with the goal of developing reports summarizing member perspectives on issues discussed. These reports may be cited in the rulemaking process. For more information regarding the work of these TWGs, please contact Jason McPhee at (916) 323-1104.