I’ve searched the CAFE regulations, and I cannot find anything in there that states manufacturers get credit for longer oil drain intervals. There has been online speculation that manufacturers have a financial incentive from the government to increase oil drain intervals via CAFE credits, but I find no evidence to support this. If anyone can quote directly from the CAFE regulations, then please do so, or if you know definitively that no such thing is in the regulations, then please say so.
CAFE Credits for Longer Oil Drain Intervals
- Thread starter cvd537
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CAFE credit for long oil change interval? I've never heard that before.
"Cost of Ownership" is something the OEM's pay attention to, but I don't think CAFE is involved.
"Cost of Ownership" is something the OEM's pay attention to, but I don't think CAFE is involved.
Yup, it's about "Cost of Ownership". The lower OEMs can get that number, the more credits they can claim through "smaller carbon footprint", "fight against climate change", and all other woke language. Every penny counts.
Unless it's company jets for CEO, board of directors, or marketing teams. Those groups can blow as many pennies as they wish.
Unless it's company jets for CEO, board of directors, or marketing teams. Those groups can blow as many pennies as they wish.
I read an article years ago in Machinery Lubrication about longer drain intervals. If I remember correctly it was under EPA Emission Standards/Credits. Also covered oil analysis to extend intervals for fleets and industrial applications.
Interesting. Any chance you would be able to find that article and post a link?
I’ll take a look. It was probably 10+ years ago.
Where is the total cost of ownership reported? Do manufacturers make this a available for comparisons like they do with fuel economy?
If motor oil consumption and change interval is mentioned in any CAFE-related document, I would think this would be a starting point to find it:
www.nhtsa.gov
I downloaded this document:
CAFE-2027-2031-HDPUV-2030-2035_Complete-Final-Environmental-Impact-Statement.pdf
And searched for "interval", and "motor oil", and "lubrication" but none of those terms were in that document.
Corporate Average Fuel Economy | NHTSA
Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards regulate how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel. Learn more about CAFE & vehicle miles per gallon.
I downloaded this document:
CAFE-2027-2031-HDPUV-2030-2035_Complete-Final-Environmental-Impact-Statement.pdf
And searched for "interval", and "motor oil", and "lubrication" but none of those terms were in that document.
Yep. That’s almost exactly what I did. I finally resorted to AI, which said there was no CAFE credit. Same with EPA credit. My goal is to try to “follow the money”, but I cannot find a money trail with any of the leads. It is starting to appear to me that this is not nefarious after all, but rather manufactures just trying to do the right thing. Still open to rebuttals.If motor oil consumption and change interval is mentioned in any CAFE-related document, I would think this would be a starting point to find it:
Corporate Average Fuel Economy | NHTSA
Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards regulate how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel. Learn more about CAFE & vehicle miles per gallon.
I downloaded this document:
CAFE-2027-2031-HDPUV-2030-2035_Complete-Final-Environmental-Impact-Statement.pdf
And searched for "interval", and "motor oil", and "lubrication" but none of those terms were in that document.
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I have read many of the CAFE documents and have never run into anything regarding long OCI. I think as mentioned, its both about cost of ownership, and also that most OEM's give free maintenance for the first few years, so the less the better.
I have read there is some regulation / benefit / standard in Europe - which is why you have all the different oil standards there, but never dug into it.
I have read there is some regulation / benefit / standard in Europe - which is why you have all the different oil standards there, but never dug into it.
I can’t find that old article I mentioned but here is a ton of info including credits.
It's not CAFE but resource conservation. I think it was started by the ACEA in Europe.
Now thinner viscosity is all about CAFE/Emissions.
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Thanks. I do not see anything in there about drain intervals and credits.
I could not find anything about resource conserving oils and/or ACEA and manufacturer credits for extended oil change intervals.
The Govt is deeply embedded in the decision making of the OEM's. I doubt any of the public will ever be privy to the inner workings. Like so many other aspects of todays society even if you could produce documents part of the public wont believe them.
People in general are lazy and your average owner wants to the bare min. So what do you want? 3K changes and a plethora of maint items or 10K/once a year and basically free 3-4 years of ownership costs? Easy answer. It's why buying new cars for "car people" is a good idea then you know what was done and when.
It not about credits and you've got to go looking way back in time.
I never thought it was cafe related, but more like some unrealistic bs they can plug into a cost of ownership spreadsheet.
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