Regulatory Announcement

Proposed Label Designs for a 


Range of Vehicle Technologies
 

The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration are redesigning the fuel economy 

label consumers see on the window of every new vehicle in dealer 

showrooms. The agencies are proposing two different designs—on 

the left side of the following pages a label much like the current label 

in terms of footprint, style, and the featured information, and on the 

right a completely new approach to the label.1

 The agencies encourage 

public feedback on which label design is most informative to them as 

they make purchasing decisions. Regardless of whether EPA and DOT 

select one of the two labels proposed today or adopt a modified version following the public comment process, the goal of the new label 

will be the same: to provide consumers with simple, straightforward 

comparisons across all vehicle types, including electric vehicles (EV), 

plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and conventional gasoline 

vehicles. 

Please note that the labels shown on the following pages are examples 

and do not represent real automobiles. The sample labels are intended 

to illustrate the elements on the label that would be associated with 

each vehicle technology/fuel type. They are not meant to represent 

the actual values that any particular vehicle type could achieve. 

Specifically, the letter grades are proposed to be technology-neutral 

and fuel-neutral; that is, any vehicle, regardless of technology or fuel 

type, would be eligible for any letter grade, as long as it met the specified 

greenhouse gas/fuel economy levels for that grade. 

1 The agencies are also seeking comment on a third label design. To view all the label designs, please 

visit our website at: www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/label/label-designs.pdf 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

EPA-420-F-10-049 

August 2010 
Regulatory Announcement 

	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 			

	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 		

Gasoline and Diesel Vehicles 

•	 These vehicles exclusively use gasoline or diesel

for fuel and can also be called conventional

vehicles. This category also includes hybrid

vehicles. Hybrid vehicles have both gasoline

engines and electric motors. However, the only

fuel a hybrid vehicle uses is gasoline, either to

propel the vehicle or charge the battery.

•	 The letter grade “B” is an example only, and

would not be reserved for gas/diesel vehicles.

Any vehicle, regardless of technology or fuel

type, would be eligible for any letter grade, as

long as it met the specified greenhouse gas/fuel

economy levels for that grade.

•	 Examples: Most cars on the road today are

gasoline vehicles. You can view lists of hybrid

vehicles and diesel vehicles at:

www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/

Label Option 2
 

Gasoline and Diesel Vehicles
 

Label Option 1
 

Gasoline and Diesel Vehicles
 

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Regulatory Announcement 

	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

Electric Vehicles 

•	 Electric Vehicles (EVs) are powered exclusively

by electricity stored in batteries. You charge

the battery by plugging your vehicle into an

electrical outlet. The vehicle travels until

the charge is depleted or you recharge it. EVs

cannot be run on gasoline.

•	 The letter grade “A+” is an example only, and

would not be reserved for EVs. Any vehicle,

regardless of technology or fuel type, would be

eligible for any letter grade, as long as it met the

specified greenhouse gas/fuel economy levels for

that grade.

•	 Examples: The only EVs on the road today are

the BMW Mini E and Tesla Roadster.

Label Option 2
 

Electric Vehicles
 

Label Option 1
 

Electric Vehicles
 

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Regulatory Announcement 

	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 		 	

	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles 2 

•	 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are

considered dual fuel vehicles because they can

be powered by both electricity and gasoline.

Like EVs, PHEVs have a battery that you charge

by plugging your vehicle into an electric outlet.

But unlike EVs, PHEVs also have a gasoline-	

powered internal combusion engine. Some

PHEVs use only electricity to power the vehicle

while the battery is charged, and use gasoline

once the battery is depleted. This type of PHEV

is sometimes called an extended range electric

vehicle. Other types of PHEVs use a combina-	

tion of both electricity and gasoline while the

battery is charged, and then use only gasoline.

•	 The letter grade “A” is an example only, and

would not be reserved for PHEVs. Any vehicle,

regardless of technology or fuel type, would be

eligible for any letter grade, as long as it met the

specified greenhouse gas/fuel economy levels for

that grade.

•	 Examples: There are currently no new commercial

PHEVs for sale in the United States.

Label Option 1
 

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
 

Label Option 2
 

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
 

The agencies have developed an alternative representation of the label shown on the right for PHEVs. To view all 

the label designs, please visit our website at: www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/label/label-designs.pdf 

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Regulatory Announcement 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 				

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 		

Flexible Fuel Vehicles 

•	 Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) (also called flex-fuel,

dual-fueled or bi-fueled vehicles) are vehicles

that can operate either on gasoline or diesel

fuel, or on an alternative fuel such as ethanol or

methanol, or on a mixture of conventional and

alternative fuels. Essentially all FFVs today are

E85 vehicles, which can run on a mixture of up

to 85 percent ethanol and gasoline.

•	 The letter grade “B” is an example only, and

would not be reserved for FFVs. Any vehicle,

regardless of technology or fuel type, would be

eligible for any letter grade, as long as it met the

specified greenhouse gas/fuel economy levels for

that grade.

•	 Examples: Produced since the 1980s, FFVs are

the most numerous of the currently available

alternative fuel vehicles, with dozens of 2010

car and truck models available from a variety of

manufacturers. You can find more information

about FFVs at:

www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/flextech.shtml

Label Option 2
 

Flexible Fuel Vehicles
 

Label Option 1
 

Flexible Fuel Vehicles
 

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Regulatory Announcement 

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles 

•	 Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles (CNG) are

vehicles that operate on compressed natural gas.

You can re-fuel your CNG vehicle at special

CNG fueling stations where, like gasoline,

compressed natural gas is dispensed, priced and

sold by the gallon.

•	 The letter grade “A-” is an example only, and

would not be reserved for CNG vehicles. Any

vehicle, regardless of technology or fuel type,

would be eligible for any letter grade, as long as

it met the specified greenhouse gas/fuel economy

levels for that grade.

•	 Examples: Currently Honda is the only major

manufacturer selling a natural gas vehicle. Its

Civic CNG is available only in selected markets.

Label Option 2
 

Compressed Natural GasVehicles
 

Label Option 1
 

Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles
 

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Regulatory Announcement 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	

	 	

For More Information 

You can access the rule and related documents on EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality

(OTAQ) website at:

www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/regulations.htm

To view all the proposed label designs, please visit our website at:

www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/label/label-designs.pdf

For more information on this rule, please contact Kristin Kenausis at:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality
 

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (6406J)
 

Washington, DC 20460
 

(202) 343-9225
 

E-mail: kenausis.kristin@epa.gov
 

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