The LEV II Amendments

The LEV II amendments affect passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles. The main elements are:

• Extension of passenger car emission standards to heavier sport utility vehicles and pick up trucks (with gross vehicle weight up to 8,500 pounds) which formerly had been regulated under less stringent emission standards.
• Extension and tightening of the fleet average emission standards during 2004-2010 (a fleet includes all new vehicles from an auto manufacturer)
• Creation of a new super-ultra low emission vehicle (SULEV) category for light-duty vehicles (SULEV's will only emit a single pound of hydrocarbons during 100,000 miles of driving - about the same as spilling a pint of gasoline)
• Significantly lower oxides of nitrogen emission standards for the low and ultra-low emission vehicle categories, a reduction of 75% from the current LEV standards
• Increased emission control durability standards from 100,000 miles to 120,000 miles for passenger cars and light trucks
• Further reduction of evaporative emissions
• Creation of partial zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) credits for vehicles that achieve near zero emissions. The credits would include full ZEV credit for a stored hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, 0.7 credit for methanol reformer fuel cell vehicles, 0.4 credit for a compressed natural gas SULEV and 0.2 for a gasoline fueled SULEV
• Changes in how the smog index is calculated
• Amendments to the zero-emission and hybrid electric vehicle test procedures
• Removal of a less stringent emission standard that would have resulted in increased sales of new diesel cars, pickups, and SUVs.