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Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Table 5-11. Estimated National Average Vehicle Emissions Rates of Heavy-Duty and Light-Duty Vehicles: 1990-2008

Air quality is affected by emissions from freight vehicles.  Compared with gasoline- fueled cars and trucks, diesel-fueled heavy trucks emit small amounts of carbon monoxide (CO2) but large amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx). However, since 1990 heavy-duty truck emissions of NOx have declined by 63 percent.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

Grams per mile

Blank cell. 1990 2000 2007 2008
Gasoline (assuming zero RFG)
Cars
Exhaust HC 2.79 0.97 0.42 0.39
Nonexhaust HC 1.21 0.92 0.62 0.57
Total HC 3.99 1.89 1.04 0.95
Exhaust CO 42.89 18.53 10.28 9.68
Exhaust NOx 2.70 1.29 0.73 0.67
Light trucks
Exhaust HC 3.68 1.45 0.64 0.55
Nonexhaust HC 1.36 0.97 0.66 0.62
Total HC 5.04 2.42 1.31 1.17
Exhaust CO 56.23 26.81 13.52 12.49
Exhaust NOx 2.62 1.54 1.02 0.94
Heavy trucks
Exhaust HC 3.66 1.22 0.48 0.42
Nonexhaust HC 2.74 1.62 1.07 0.99
Total HC 6.40 2.84 1.54 1.41
Exhaust CO 85.61 31.08 13.55 12.38
Exhaust NOx 7.19 5.26 3.33 2.94
Diesel
Cars
Exhaust HC 0.68 0.80 0.36 0.29
Exhaust CO 1.49 1.78 1.21 1.09
Exhaust NOx 1.83 1.81 0.85 0.69
Light trucks
Exhaust HC 1.59 1.02 0.63 0.55
Exhaust CO 2.67 1.77 1.06 0.93
Exhaust NOx 2.71 1.76 1.09 0.94
Heavy trucks
Exhaust HC 2.21 0.79 0.48 0.45
Exhaust CO 10.06 4.10 2.66 2.31
Exhaust NOx 23.34 18.05 9.60 8.61

Key: CO = carbon monoxide; HC = hydrocarbon; NOx = nitrogen oxides; RFG = reformulated gasoline.

Source:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, MOBILE6.2.3 model, personal communication, July 6, 2009.

 


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