PART 474—ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION Authority: 49 U.S.C. 32901 et seq. Source: 65 FR 36991, June 12, 2000, unless otherwise noted. § 474.1 Purpose and Scope. This part contains procedures for calculating a value for the petroleum-equivalent fuel economy of electric vehicles, as required by 49 U.S.C. 32904(a)(2). The petroleum-equivalent fuel economy value is intended to be used by the Environmental Protection Agency in calculating corporate average fuel economy values pursuant to regulations at 40 CFR Part 600—Fuel Economy of Motor Vehicles. § 474.2 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the term: Combined energy consumption value Electric vehicle (1) Recharge energy must be drawn from a source off the vehicle, such as residential electric service; and (2) The vehicle must comply with all provisions of the Zero Emission Vehicle definition found in 40 CFR 88.104-94(g). Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule energy consumption value Petroleum equivalency factor Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy Petroleum-powered accessory (1) Uses gasoline or diesel fuel as its primary energy source; and (2) Meets the requirements for fuel, operation, and emissions in 40 CFR part 88.104-94(g). Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule energy consumption value [65 FR 36991, June 12, 2000, as amended at 89 FR 22059, Mar. 29, 2024; 91 FR 554, Jan. 8, 2025] § 474.3 Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. (a) The petroleum-equivalent fuel economy for an electric vehicle is calculated as follows: (1) Determine the electric vehicle's Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule energy consumption value and the Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule energy consumption value in units of Watt-hours per mile; (2) Determine the combined energy consumption value by averaging the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule energy consumption value and the Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule energy consumption value using a weighting of 55 percent urban/45 percent highway; and (3) Calculate the petroleum-equivalent fuel economy by dividing the appropriate petroleum-equivalency factor (depending on whether any petroleum-powered accessories are installed; see paragraph (b) of this section) by the combined energy consumption value, and round to the nearest 0.01 miles per gallon. (b) The petroleum-equivalency factors for electric vehicles are as follows: (1) If the electric vehicle does not have any petroleum-powered accessories installed, the value of the petroleum equivalency factor is 12,307 Watt-hours per gallon. (2) If the electric vehicle has any petroleum-powered accessories installed, the value of the petroleum-equivalency factor is 11,706 Watt-hours per gallon. [65 FR 36991, June 12, 2000, as amended at 89 FR 22059, Mar. 29, 2024; 91 FR 554, Jan. 8, 2026; 91 FR 7817, Feb. 19, 2026] § 474.4 Test procedures. (a) The electric vehicle energy consumption values used in the calculation of petroleum-equivalent fuel economy under § 474.3 of this part will be determined by the Environmental Protection Agency using the Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule and Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule test cycles at 40 CFR parts 86 and 600. (b) The “Special Test Procedures” provisions of 40 CFR 86.090-27 may be used to accommodate any special test procedures required for testing the energy consumption of electric vehicles. § 474.5 Review and Update. The Department will review part 474 five years after the date of publication as a final rule to determine whether any updates and/or revisions are necessary. DOE will publish a notice in the Federal Register Federal Register [91 FR 555, Jan. 8, 2026] Appendix A to Part 474—Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations Example 1: combined electrical energy consumption value = (0.55 * urban) + (0.45 * highway) = (0.55 * 265) + (0.45 * 220) = 244.75 Wh/mile Since the vehicle does not have any petroleum-powered accessories installed, the value of the petroleum equivalency factor is 12,307 Watt-hours per gallon, and the petroleum-equivalent fuel economy is: Example 2: Since the vehicle has a petroleum-powered accessory installed, the value of the petroleum equivalency factor is 11,706 Watt-hours per gallon, and the petroleum-equivalent fuel economy is: [91 FR 7817, Feb. 19, 2026]