Evaluation of Heavy- and Medium-Duty On-Road Vehicle Emissions in California’s South Coast Air Basin

Emission measurements were collected from heavy-duty (HDVs) and medium-duty vehicles (MDVs) at the Peralta weigh station long-term measurement site near Anaheim, CA, in 2017. Two Fuel Efficiency Automobile Test units sampled elevated and ground-level exhaust vehicles totaling 2 315 measurements. HDVs (1844 measurements) exhibited historical reductions in fuel specific oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) from the 2008 measurements (55%) with increased use of exhaust gas recirculation and selective catalytic reduction systems. However, as these technologies have aged, the in-use benefits have declined. Infrared % opacity measurements of tailpipe soot decreased 14% since 2012 with increased diesel particulate filter (DPF) use, DPF longevity, and fleet turnover. Sixty-three percent of the HDV fleet in 2017 was chassis model year 2011+ compared to only 12% in 2012. The observed MDV fleet (471 measurements) was 1.4 years older than the HDV fleet with average NO x 14% higher. A significant reduction in MDV NO x occurred ∼2 model years prior to similar HDV reductions (2014 versus 2016 chassis model year). MDV chassis model years 2014+ were able to meet their corresponding NO x laboratory certification standards in-use, whereas HDVs remain slightly above this threshold. Similar MDV NO x emission trends were also observed in data previously collected in Chicago, IL.