Exhaust Emission Reductions

The LEV II amendments include three major interrelated elements designed to reduce to exhaust emissions:

• Restructuring the light-duty truck category so that most SUVs, mini-vans and pick-up trucks are subject to the same low-emission vehicle standards as passenger cars
• Strengthening the NOx standard for passenger car and light-duty truck LEVs and ULEVs, and changing other emission standards
• Establishing more stringent 2004 and subsequent model year phase-in requirements for passenger cars, lightduty trucks and medium-duty vehicles. They also contain various other changes, including elimination of the TLEV standard after the 2003 model year.