Notes on emissions testing. Where the above-described reasonable bases involve emissions testing, unless otherwise noted, that testing must be consistent with the following. The emissions testing may be performed by someone other than the person performing the conduct (such as an aftermarket parts manufacturer), but to be consistent with this Appendix, the person performing the conduct must have all documentation of the reasonable basis at or before the conduct. The emissions testing and documentation required for this reasonable basis is the same as the testing and documentation required by regulation (e.g., 40 C.F.R. Part 1065) for the purposes of original EPA certification of the vehicle, engine, or equipment at issue. Accelerated aging techniques and in-use testing are acceptable only insofar as they are acceptable for purposes of original EPA certification. The applicable emissions standards are either the emissions standards on the Emission Control Information Label on the product (such as any stated family emission limit, or FEL), or if there is no such label, the fleet standards for the product category and model year. To select test vehicles or test engines where EPA regulations do not otherwise prescribe how to do so for purposes of original EPA certification of the vehicle, engine, or equipment at issue, one must choose the “worst case” product from among all the products for which the part or component is intended. EPA generally considers “worst case” to be that product with the largest engine displacement within the highest test weight class. The vehicle, engine, or equipment, as altered by the conduct, must perform identically both on and off the test(s), and can have no element of design that is not substantially included in the test(s).
