Overview
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines vehicle and engine types for the purposes of federal emissions regulations.
California, which sets its own emissions standards for some categories of vehicles, uses similar vehicle definition as the federal EPA, but with some minor differences.
Categories
Technical Standards
The following table summarizes vehicle classifications as defined by the EPA:
| Vehicle | Abbreviation | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger Vehicles | ||
| Light-duty Vehicles (i.e. Passenger Cars) | LDV | maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) < 8,500 lbs. |
| Medium-duty Passenger Vehicles | MDPV | 8,501 – 10,000 lbs GVWR |
| Light-duty Trucks | ||
| Light-duty Trucks | LDT | Max 8500 lb GVWR, Max 6000 lb curb weight, and Max 45 ft^2 frontal area |
|
LDT1 | Max 3750 lb LVW (loaded vehicle weight: curb weight + 300 lb) |
|
LDT2 | Min 3750 lb LVW (loaded vehicle weight: curb weight + 300 lb) |
|
LDT3 | Max 5750 lb ALVW (adjusted loaded vehicle weight: avg of GVWR and curb weight) |
|
LDT4 | Min 5750 lb ALVW (adjusted loaded vehicle weight: avg of GVWR and curb weight) |
| Heavy-duty Vehicles (GVWR) | ||
| Heavy-duty vehicles | ||
| HDV 2b | 8,501 – 10,000 lbs | |
| HDV 3 | 10,001 – 14,000 lbs | |
| HDV 4 | 14,001 – 16,000 lbs | |
| HDV 5 | 16,001 – 19,500 lbs | |
| HDV 6 | 19,501 – 26,000 lbs | |
| HDV 7 | 26,001 – 33,000 lbs | |
| HDV 8a | 33,001 – 60,000 lbs | |
| HDV 8b | >60,001 lbs | |
Diesel engines used in heavy-duty vehicles are further divided into service classes by GVWR:
- Light heavy-duty diesel engines (LHDDE): 8,501 – 19,500, e.g for use in HDV classes 2b – 5
- Medium heavy-duty diesel engines (MHDDE): 19,501 – 33,000, e.g. for use in HDV classes 6-7
- Heavy heavy-duty diesel engines (including urban bus) (HHDDE): > 33,000, e.g. for use in HDV class 8
