§ 535.8 - Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

§ 535.8 Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 18831, Mar. 15, 2024.

(a) General requirements. Manufacturers producing heavy-duty vehicles and engines applicable to fuel consumption standards in § 535.5, for each given model year, must submit the required information as specified in paragraphs (b) through (h) of this section.

(1) The information required by this part must be submitted by the deadlines specified in this section and must be based upon all the information and data available to the manufacturer 30 days before submitting information.

(2) Manufacturers must submit information electronically through the EPA database system as the single point of entry for all information required for this national program and both agencies will have access to the information. In special circumstances, data may not be able to be received electronically (i.e., during database system development work). The agencies will inform manufacturer of the alternatives can be used for submitting information. The format for the required information will be specified by EPA in coordination with NHTSA.

(3) Manufacturers providing incomplete reports missing any of the required information or providing untimely reports are considered as not complying with standards (i.e., if good-faith estimates of U.S.-directed production volumes for EPA certificates of conformity are not provided) and are liable to pay civil penalties in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 32912.

(4) Manufacturers certifying a vehicle or engine family using an FEL or FCL below the applicable fuel consumption standard as described in § 535.5 may choose not to generate fuel consumption credits for that family. In which case, the manufacturer is not required to submit reporting or keep the associated records described in this part for that family.

(5) Manufacturers must use good engineering judgment and provide comparable fuel consumption information to that of the information or data provided to EPA under 40 CFR 86.1865, 1036.250, 1036.730, 1036.825 1037.250, 1037.730, and 1037.825.

(6) Any information that must be sent directly to NHTSA. In instances in which EPA has not created an electronic pathway to receive the information, the information should be sent through an electronic portal identified by NHTSA or through the NHTSA CAFE database (i.e., information on fuel consumption credit transactions). If hardcopy documents must be sent, the information should be sent to the Associate Administrator of Enforcement at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, NVS-200, Office W45-306, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

(b) Pre-model year reports. Manufacturers producing heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans must submit reports in advance of the model year providing early estimates demonstrating how their fleet(s) would comply with GHG emissions and fuel consumption standards. Note, the agencies understand that early model year reports contain estimates that may change over the course of a model year and that compliance information manufacturers submit prior to the beginning of a new model year may not represent the final compliance outcome. The agencies view the necessity for requiring early model reports as a manufacturer's good faith projection for demonstrating compliance with emission and fuel consumption standards.

(1) Report deadlines. For model years 2013 and later, manufacturer of heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans complying with voluntary and mandatory standards must submit a pre-model year report for the given model year as early as the date of the manufacturer's annual certification preview meeting with EPA and NHTSA, or prior to submitting its first application for a certificate of conformity to EPA in accordance with 40 CFR 86.1819-14(d). For example, a manufacturer choosing to comply in model year 2014 could submit its pre-model year report during its precertification meeting which could occur before January 2, 2013, or could provide its pre-model year report any time prior to submitting its first application for certification for the given model year.

(2) Contents. Each pre-model year report must be submitted including the following information for each model year.

(i) A list of each unique subconfiguration in the manufacturer's fleet describing the make and model designations, attribute based-values (i.e., GVWR, GCWR, Curb Weight and drive configurations) and standards;

(ii) The emission and fuel consumption fleet average standard derived from the unique vehicle configurations;

(iii) The estimated vehicle configuration, test group and fleet production volumes;

(iv) The expected emissions and fuel consumption test group results and fleet average performance;

(v) If complying with MY 2013 fuel consumption standards, a statement must be provided declaring that the manufacturer is voluntarily choosing to comply early with the EPA and NHTSA programs. The manufacturers must also acknowledge that once selected, the decision cannot be reversed and the manufacturer will continue to comply with the fuel consumption standards for subsequent model years for all the vehicles it manufacturers in each regulatory category for a given model year;

(vi) If complying with MYs 2014, 2015 or 2016 fuel consumption standards, a statement must be provided declaring whether the manufacturer will use fixed or increasing standards in accordance with § 535.5(a). The manufacturer must also acknowledge that once selected, the decision cannot be reversed and the manufacturer must continue to comply with the same alternative for subsequent model years for all the vehicles it manufacturers in each regulatory category for a given model year;

(vii) If complying with MYs 2014 or 2015 fuel consumption standards, a statement must be provided declaring that the manufacturer is voluntarily choosing to comply with NHTSA's voluntary fuel consumption standards in accordance with § 535.5(a)(4). The manufacturers must also acknowledge that once selected, the decision cannot be reversed and the manufacturer will continue to comply with the fuel consumption standards for subsequent model years for all the vehicles it manufacturers in each regulatory category for a given model year;

(viii) The list of Class 2b and 3 incomplete vehicles (cab-complete or chassis complete vehicles) and the method used to certify these vehicles as complete pickups and vans identifying the most similar complete sister- or other complete vehicles used to derive the target standards and performance test results;

(ix) The list of Class 4 and 5 incomplete and complete vehicles and the method use to certify these vehicles as complete pickups and vans identifying the most similar complete or sister vehicles used to derive the target standards and performance test results;

(x) List of loose engines included in the heavy-duty pickup and van category and the list of vehicles used to derive target standards and performance test results;

(xi) Copy of any notices a vehicle manufacturer sends to the engine manufacturer to notify the engine manufacturers that their engines are subject to emissions and fuel consumption standards and that it intends to use their engines in excluded vehicles;

(xii) A fuel consumption credit plan as specified § 535.7(a) identifying the manufacturers estimated credit balances, planned credit flexibilities (i.e., credit balances, planned credit trading, innovative, advanced and early credits and etc.) and if needed a credit deficit plan demonstrating how it plans to resolve any credit deficits that might occur for a model year within a period of up to three model years after that deficit has occurred; and

(xiii) The supplemental information specified in paragraph (h) of this section.

Note to paragraph (b):

NHTSA may also ask a manufacturer to provide additional information if necessary to verify compliance with the fuel consumption requirements of this section.

(c) Applications for certificate of conformity. Manufacturers producing vocational vehicles, tractors and heavy-duty engines are required to submit applications for certificates of conformity to EPA in accordance with 40 CFR 1036.205 and 1037.205 in advance of introducing vehicles for commercial sale. Applications contain early model year information demonstrating how manufacturers plan to comply with GHG emissions. For model years 2013 and later, manufacturers of vocational vehicles, tractors and engine complying with NHTSA's voluntary and mandatory standards must submit applications for certificates of conformity in accordance through the EPA database including both GHG emissions and fuel consumption information for each given model year.

(1) Submission deadlines. Applications are primarily submitted in advance of the given model year to EPA but cannot be submitted any later than December 31 of the given model year.

(2) Contents. Each application for certificates of conformity submitted to EPA must include the following equivalent fuel consumption.

(i) Equivalent fuel consumption values for emissions CO₂ FCLs values used to certify each engine family in accordance with 40 CFR 1036.205(e). This provision applies only to manufacturers producing heavy-duty engines.

(ii) Equivalent fuel consumption values for emission CO₂ data engines used to comply with emission standards in 40 CFR 1036.108. This provision applies only to manufacturers producing heavy-duty engines.

(iii) Equivalent fuel consumption values for emissions CO₂ FELs values used to certify each vehicle families or subfamilies in accordance with 40 CFR 1037.205(k). This provision applies only to manufacturers producing vocational vehicles and tractors.

(iv) Report modeling results for ten configurations in terms of CO₂ emissions and equivalent fuel consumption results in accordance with 40 CFR 1037.205(o). Include modeling inputs and detailed descriptions of how they were derived. This provision applies only to manufacturers producing vocational vehicles and tractors.

(v) Credit plans including the fuel consumption credit plan described in § 535.7(a).

(3) Additional supplemental information. Manufacturers are required to submit additional information as specified in paragraph (h) of this section for the NHTSA program before or at the same time it submits its first application for a certificate of conformity to EPA. Under limited conditions, NHTSA may also ask a manufacturer to provide additional information directly to the Administrator if necessary to verify the fuel consumption requirements of this regulation.

(d) End of the Year (EOY) and Final reports. Heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturers participating in the ABT program are required to submit EOY and final reports containing information for NHTSA as specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section and in accordance with 40 CFR 86.1865, 1036.730, and 1037.730. Only manufacturers without credit deficits may decide not to participate in the ABT or may waive the requirement to send an EOY report. The EOY and final reports are used to review a manufacturer's preliminary or final compliance information and to identify manufacturers that might have a credit deficit for the given model year. For model years 2013 and later, heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturers complying with NHTSA's voluntary and mandatory standards must submit EOY and final reports through the EPA database including both GHG emissions and fuel consumption information for each given model year.

(1) Report deadlines.

(i) For model year 2013 and later, heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturers complying with NHTSA voluntary and mandatory standards must submit EOY reports through the EPA database including both GHG emissions and fuel consumption information within 90 days after the end of the given model year and no later than March 31 of the next calendar year.

(ii) For model year 2013 and later, heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturers complying with NHTSA voluntary and mandatory standards must submit final reports through the EPA database including both GHG emissions and fuel consumption information within 270 days after the end of the given model year and no later than September 30 of the next calendar year.

(iii) A manufacturer may ask NHTSA and EPA to extend the deadline of a final report by up to 30 days. A manufacturer unable to provide, and requesting to omit an emissions rate or fuel consumption value from a final report must obtain approval from the agencies prior to the submission deadline of its final report.

(iv) If a manufacturer expects differences in the information reported between the EOY and the final year report specified in 40 CFR 1036.730 and 1037.730, it must provide the most up-to-date fuel consumption projections in its final report and identify the information as preliminary.

(v) If the manufacturer cannot provide any of the required fuel consumption information, it must state the specific reason for the insufficiency and identify the additional testing needed or explain what analytical methods are believed by the manufacturer will be necessary to eliminate the insufficiency and certify that the results will be available for the final report.

(2) Contents. Each EOY and final report must be submitted including the following fuel consumption information for each model year. EOY reports contain preliminary final estimates and final reports must include the manufacturer's final compliance information.

(i) Engine and vehicle family designations and averaging sets.

(ii) Engine and vehicle regulatory subcategory and fuel consumption standards including any alternative standards used.

(iii) Engine and vehicle family FCLs and FELs in terms of fuel consumption.

(iv) Production volumes for engines and vehicles.

(v) A summary as specified in paragraph (g)(7) of this section describing the vocational vehicles and vocational tractors that were exempted as heavy-duty off-road vehicles. This applies to manufacturers participating and not participating in the ABT program.

(vi) A summary describing any advanced or innovative technology engines or vehicles including alternative fueled vehicles that were produced for the model year identifying the approaches used to determinate compliance and the production volumes.

(vii) A list of each unique subconfiguration included in a manufacturer's fleet of heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans identifying the attribute based-values (GVWR, GCWR, Curb Weight, and drive configurations) and standards. This provision applies only to manufacturers producing heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans.

(viii) The fuel consumption fleet average standard derived from the unique vehicle configurations. This provision applies only to manufacturers producing heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans.

(ix) The subconfiguration and test group production volumes. This provision applies only to manufacturers producing heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans.

(x) The fuel consumption test group results and fleet average performance. This provision applies only to manufacturers producing heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans.

(xi) Manufacturers may correct errors in EOY and final reports as follows:

(A) Manufacturers may correct any errors in their end-of-year report when preparing the final report, as long as manufacturers send us the final report by the time it is due.

(B) If manufacturers or the agencies determine within 270 days after the end of the model year that errors mistakenly decreased he manufacturer's balance of fuel consumption credits, manufacturers may correct the errors and recalculate the balance of its fuel consumption credits. Manufacturers may not make any corrections for errors that are determined more than 270 days after the end of the model year. If manufacturers report a negative balance of fuel consumption credits, NHTSA may disallow corrections under this paragraph (d)(2)(xi)(B).

(C) If manufacturers or the agencies determine any time that errors mistakenly increased its balance of fuel consumption credits, manufacturers must correct the errors and recalculate the balance of fuel consumption credits.

(xii) Under limited conditions, NHTSA may also ask a manufacturer to provide additional information directly to the Administrator if necessary to verify the fuel consumption requirements of this regulation.

(e) Amendments to applications for certification. At any time, a manufacturer modifies an application for certification in accordance with 40 CFR 1036.225 and 1037.225, it must submit GHG emissions changes with equivalent fuel consumption values for the information required in paragraphs (b) through (e) and (h) of this section.

(f) Confidential information. Manufacturers must submit a request for confidentiality with each electronic submission specifying any part of the for information or data in a report that it believes should be withheld from public disclosure as trade secret or other confidential business information. Information submitted to EPA should follow EPA guidelines for treatment of confidentiality. Requests for confidential treatment for information submitted to NHTSA must be filed in accordance with the requirements of 49 CFR part 512, including submission of a request for confidential treatment and the information for which confidential treatment is requested as specified by part 512. For any information or data requested by the manufacturer to be withheld under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and 49 U.S.C. 32910(c), the manufacturer shall present arguments and provide evidence in its request for confidentiality demonstrating that—

(1) The item is within the scope of 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and 49 U.S.C. 32910(c);

(2) The disclosure of the information at issue would cause significant competitive damage;

(3) The period during which the item must be withheld to avoid that damage; and

(4) How earlier disclosure would result in that damage.

(g) Additional required information. The following additional information is required to be submitted through the EPA database. NHTSA reserves the right to ask a manufacturer to provide additional information if necessary to verify the fuel consumption requirements of this regulation.

(1) Small businesses. For model years 2013 through 2020, vehicles and engines produced by small business manufacturers meeting the criteria in 13 CFR 121.201 are exempted from the requirements of this part. Qualifying small business manufacturers must notify EPA and NHTSA Administrators before importing or introducing into U.S. commerce exempted vehicles or engines. This notification must include a description of the manufacturer's qualification as a small business under 13 CFR 121.201. Manufacturers must submit this notification to EPA, and EPA will provide the notification to NHTSA. The agencies may review a manufacturer's qualification as a small business manufacturer under 13 CFR 121.201.

(2) Emergency vehicles. For model years 2021 and later, emergency vehicles produced by heavy-duty pickup truck and van manufacturers are exempted except those produced by manufacturers voluntarily complying with standards in § 535.5(a). Manufacturers must notify the agencies in writing if using the provisions in § 535.5(a) to produce exempted emergency vehicles in a given model year, either in the report specified in 40 CFR 86.1865 or in a separate submission.

(3) Early introduction. The provision applies to manufacturers seeking to comply early with the NHTSA's fuel consumption program prior to model year 2014. The manufacturer must send the request to EPA before submitting its first application for a certificate of conformity.

(4) NHTSA voluntary compliance model years. Manufacturers must submit a statement declaring whether the manufacturer chooses to comply voluntarily with NHTSA's fuel consumption standards for model years 2014 through 2015. The manufacturers must acknowledge that once selected, the decision cannot be reversed and the manufacturer will continue to comply with the fuel consumption standards for subsequent model years. The manufacturer must send the statement to EPA before submitting its first application for a certificate of conformity.

(5) Alternative engine standards. Manufacturers choosing to comply with the alternative engine standards must notify EPA and NHTSA of their choice and include in that notification a demonstration that it has exhausted all available credits and credit opportunities. The manufacturer must send the statement to EPA before submitting its EOY report.

(6) Alternate phase-in. Manufacturers choosing to comply with the alternative engine phase-in must notify EPA and NHTSA of their choice. The manufacturer must send the statement to EPA before submitting its first application for a certificate of conformity.

(7) Off-road exclusion (tractors and vocational vehicles only).

(i) Tractors and vocational vehicles primarily designed to perform work in off-road environments such as forests, oil fields, and construction sites may be exempted without request from the requirements of this regulation as specified in 49 CFR 523.2 and § 535.5(b). Within 90 days after the end of each model year, manufacturers must send EPA and NHTSA through the EPA database a report with the following information:

(A) A description of each excluded vehicle configuration, including an explanation of why it qualifies for this exclusion.

(B) The number of vehicles excluded for each vehicle configuration.

(ii) A manufacturer having an off-road vehicle failing to meet the criteria under the agencies' off-road exclusions will be allowed to request an exclusion of such a vehicle from EPA and NHTSA. The approval will be granted through the certification process for the vehicle family and will be done in collaboration between EPA and NHTSA in accordance with the provisions in 40 CFR 1037.150, 1037.210, and 1037.631.

(8) Vocational tractors. Tractors intended to be used as vocational tractors may comply with vocational vehicle standards in § 535.5(b). Manufacturers classifying tractors as vocational tractors must provide a description of how they meet the qualifications in their applications for certificates of conformity as specified in 40 CFR 1037.205.

(9) Approval of alternate methods to determine drag coefficients (tractors only). Manufacturers seeking to use alternative methods to determine aerodynamic drag coefficients must provide a request and gain approval by EPA in accordance with 40 CFR 1037.525. The manufacturer must send the request to EPA before submitting its first application for a certificate of conformity.

(10) Innovative and off-cycle technology credits. Manufacturers pursuing innovative and off-cycle technology credits must submit information to the agencies and may be subject to a public evaluation process in which the public would have opportunity for comment if the manufacturer is not using a test procedure in accordance with 40 CFR 1037.610(c). Whether the approach involves on-road testing, modeling, or some other analytical approach, the manufacturer would be required to present a final methodology to EPA and NHTSA. EPA and NHTSA would approve the methodology and credits only if certain criteria were met. Baseline emissions and fuel consumption and control emissions and fuel consumption would need to be clearly demonstrated over a wide range of real world driving conditions and over a sufficient number of vehicles to address issues of uncertainty with the data. Data would need to be on a vehicle model-specific basis unless a manufacturer demonstrated model-specific data was not necessary. The agencies may publish a notice of availability in the Federal Register notifying the public of a manufacturer's proposed alternative off-cycle credit calculation methodology and provide opportunity for comment. Any notice will include details regarding the methodology, but not include any Confidential Business Information.

(11) Credit trades. If a manufacturer trades fuel consumption credits, it must send EPA and NHTSA a fuel consumption credit plan as specified in § 535.7(a) and provide the following additional information:

(i) As the seller, the manufacturer must include the following information:

(A) The corporate names of the buyer and any brokers.

(B) A copy of any contracts related to the trade.

(C) The averaging set corresponding to the engine and powertrain families and subfamilies that generated fuel consumption credits for the trade, including the number of fuel consumption credits from each averaging set.

(ii) As the buyer, the manufacturer or entity must include the following information in its report:

(A) The corporate names of the seller and any brokers.

(B) A copy of any contracts related to the trade.

(C) How the manufacturer or entity intends to use the fuel consumption credits, including the number of fuel consumption credits it intends to apply for each averaging set.

(D) A copy of the contract with signatures from both the buyer and the seller.

(12) Production reports. Within 90 days after the end of the model year and no later than March 31st, manufacturers participating and not-participating in the ABT program must send to EPA and NHTSA a report including the total U.S.-directed production volume of vehicles it produced in each vehicle and engine family during the model year (based on information available at the time of the report) as required by 40 CFR 1036.250 and 1037.250. Trailer manufacturers must include a separate report including the total U.S.-directed production volume of excluded trailers as allowed by § 535.3(e). Each manufacturer shall report by vehicle or engine identification number and by configuration and identify the subfamily identifier. Report uncertified vehicles sold to secondary vehicle manufacturers. Small business manufacturers may omit reporting. Identify any differences between volumes included for EPA but excluded for NHTSA.

(13) Transition to engine-based model years. The following provisions apply for production and ABT reports during the transition to engine-based model year determinations for tractors and vocational vehicles in 2020 and 2021:

(i) If a manufacturer installs model year 2020 or earlier engines in the manufacturer's vehicles in calendar year 2020, include all those Phase 1 vehicles in its production and ABT reports related to model year 2020 compliance, although the agencies may require the manufacturer to identify these separately from vehicles produced in calendar year 2019.

(ii) If a manufacturer installs model year 2020 engines in its vehicles in calendar year 2021, submit production and ABT reports for those Phase 1 vehicles separate from the reports it submits for Phase 2 vehicles with model year 2021 engines.

(h) Public information. Based upon information submitted by manufacturers and EPA, NHTSA will publish fuel consumption standards and performance results.

(i) Information received from EPA. NHTSA will receive information from EPA as specified in 40 CFR 1036.755 and 1037.755. The knowing and willful submission of false, fictitious or fraudulent information under this part will subject a manufacturer to the civil and criminal penalties of 18 U.S.C. 1001.

(j) Recordkeeping. NHTSA has the same recordkeeping requirements as the EPA, specified in 40 CFR 86.1865-12(k), 1036.250, 1036.735, 1036.825, 1037.250, 1037.735, and 1037.825. The agencies each reserve the right to request information contained in reports separately.

(1) Manufacturers must organize and maintain records for NHTSA as described in this section. NHTSA in conjunction or separately from EPA may review a manufacturers records at any time.

(2) Keep the records required by this section for at least eight years after the due date for the end-of-year report. Manufacturers may not use fuel consumption credits for any engines if it does not keep all the records required under this section. Manufacturers must therefore keep these records to continue to bank valid credits. Store these records in any electronic format and on any media, as long as the manufacturer can promptly send the agencies organized records in English if the agencies ask for them. Manufacturers must keep these records readily available. NHTSA may review them at any time.

(3) Keep a copy of the reports required in § 535.8 and 40 CFR 1036.725,1036.730, 1037.725 and 1037.730.

(4) Keep records of the vehicles and engine identification number (usually the serial number) for each vehicle and engine produced that generates or uses fuel consumption credits under the ABT program. Manufacturers may identify these numbers as a range. If manufacturers change the FEL after the start of production, identify the date started using each FEL/FCL and the range of vehicles or engine identification numbers associated with each FEL/FCL. Manufacturers must also identify the purchaser and destination for each vehicle and engine produced to the extent this information is available.

(5) The agencies may require manufacturers to keep additional records or to send relevant information not required by this section in accordance with each agency's authority.

(6) If collected separately and NHTSA finds that information is provided fraudulent or grossly negligent or otherwise provided in bad faith, the manufacturer may be liable to civil penalties in accordance with each agency's authority.

[81 FR 74238, Oct. 25, 2016, as amended at 89 FR 18831, Mar. 15, 2024]