Freight Facts and Figures 2013
Table 5-12. Estimated National Average Vehicle Emissions Rates of Heavy-Duty and Light-Duty Vehicles: 2000, 2005, 2011, and 2012
Air quality is affected by freight vehicle emissions. Compared with gasoline-fueled cars and trucks, diesel-fueled heavy trucks emit small amounts of carbon monoxide (CO), but large amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx). However, since 2000 diesel-fueled heavy-duty truck emissions of NOx have declined by 62 percent.
Table 5-12
Table in Excel format | Historical data
Grams per mile
 |
2000 | 2005 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | ||||
| Cars | ||||
| Exhaust HC | 0.82 | 0.45 | 0.24 | 0.21 |
| Nonexhaust HC | 0.61 | 0.38 | 0.19 | 0.17 |
| Total HC | 1.43 | 0.82 | 0.43 | 0.37 |
| Exhaust CO | 14.31 | 7.83 | 4.39 | 3.93 |
| Exhaust NOx | 1.90 | 1.17 | 0.64 | 0.54 |
| Light trucks1 | ||||
| Exhaust HC | 1.22 | 0.89 | 0.61 | 0.56 |
| Nonexhaust HC | 0.63 | 0.44 | 0.31 | 0.29 |
| Total HC | 1.85 | 1.33 | 0.92 | 0.86 |
| Exhaust CO | 22.21 | 14.95 | 10.21 | 9.43 |
| Exhaust NOx | 2.76 | 1.94 | 1.41 | 1.29 |
| Heavy trucks2 | ||||
| Exhaust HC | 2.75 | 1.87 | 1.19 | 1.09 |
| Nonexhaust HC | 1.22 | 0.94 | 0.70 | 0.65 |
| Total HC | 3.97 | 2.81 | 1.89 | 1.74 |
| Exhaust CO | 62.88 | 47.27 | 32.95 | 30.67 |
| Exhaust NOx | 5.84 | 4.50 | 3.45 | 3.27 |
| Diesel | ||||
| Cars | ||||
| Exhaust HC | 0.26 | 0.16 | 0.07 | 0.07 |
| Exhaust CO | 1.14 | 0.57 | 0.63 | 0.72 |
| Exhaust NOx | 1.36 | 1.96 | 1.09 | 0.96 |
| Light trucks1 | ||||
| Exhaust HC | 0.65 | 0.66 | 0.55 | 0.51 |
| Exhaust CO | 3.51 | 3.74 | 3.15 | 2.91 |
| Exhaust NOx | 6.04 | 5.83 | 4.26 | 3.92 |
| Heavy trucks2 | ||||
| Exhaust HC | 1.06 | 1.10 | 0.86 | 0.81 |
| Exhaust CO | 4.59 | 4.64 | 3.28 | 3.02 |
| Exhaust NOx | 23.20 | 16.84 | 9.84 | 8.80 |
Key: CO = carbon monoxide; HC = hydrocarbon; NOx = nitrogen oxides.
1Includes pick-up trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and minivans with a gross vehicle weight rating up to 8,500 pounds.
2Includes trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating over 8,500 pounds.
Notes: This table is based on MOVES2010b, the latest highway vehicle emissions factor model from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Similar tables in previous editions of Freight Facts and Figures were based on earlier models. Thus, the data in this table should not be compared to those in previous editions.
Source:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, special tabulation, October 25, 2013.
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