Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation

Document 2026-03300 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Energy in the Federal Register on February 19, 2026, with an effective date of February 19, 2026. The Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (formerly the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy) of the Department of Energy (DOE) has reviewed the petroleum-equivalency factor (PEF) for electric vehicles (EVs) used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in calculating light-duty vehicle manufacturers' compliance with the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. DOE has determined that revisions to the PEF are necessary. DOE is first publishing a final rule that removes the fuel content factor (FCF) from the calculation of the PEF. Removal of the FCF is consistent with a United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit decision that held, among other things, that the inclusion of the FCF in the PEF calculation exceeded DOE's authority under the substantive statute. DOE will propose additional revisions to the PEF in a forthcoming notice of proposed rulemaking. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/19/2026-03300/petroleum-equivalent-fuel-economy-calculation.

No. Document 2026-03300 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.