Classification methods
Vehicles can be categorized in numerous ways. For example, a government may establish a vehicle classification system for determining a tax amount. In the United Kingdom, a vehicle is taxed according to the vehicle's construction, engine, weight, type of fuel and emissions, as well as the purpose for which it is used.[1] Other jurisdictions may determine vehicle tax based upon environmental principles, such as the user pays principle.[2] In another example, certain cities in the United States in the 1920s chose to exempt electric-powered vehicles because officials believed those vehicles did not cause "substantial wear upon the pavements."[3]
Another standard for road vehicles of all types that is used internationally (except for Australia, India, and the U.S.), is ISO 3833-1977.[4]
In an example from private enterprise, many car rental companies use[where?] the ACRISS Car Classification Code to describe the size, type and equipment of vehicles to ensure that rental agents can match customer needs to available vehicles, regardless of distance between the agent and the rental company or the languages spoken by either party. In the United States, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety uses a scheme it has developed that takes into account a combination of both vehicle size and other vehicle features such as length and wheelbase.[5]
| Highway Loss Data Institute classification | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sports | Those cars with significant high performance features |
| Luxury | Higher-end cars that are not classified as sports |
| Large | Length more than 495.3 cm (195 in) and wheelbase more than 279.4 cm (110 in) |
| Midsize | Length 457.3–495.3 cm (180–195 in) and wheelbase 266.8–279.4 cm (105–110 in) |
| Small | Length less than 457.2 cm (180 in) and wheelbase less than 266.7 cm (105 in) |
The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) separates vehicles into classes by the curb weight of the vehicle with standard equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, coolant, and air conditioning, if so equipped).[6]
| NHTSA classification | Code | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars: mini | PC/Mi | 1,500–1,999 lb (680–907 kg) |
| Passenger cars: light | PC/L | 2,000–2,499 lb (907–1,134 kg) |
| Passenger cars: compact | PC/C | 2,500–2,999 lb (1,134–1,360 kg) |
| Passenger cars: medium | PC/Me | 3,000–3,499 lb (1,361–1,587 kg) |
| Passenger cars: heavy | PC/H | 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) and over |
| Sport utility vehicles | SUV | - |
| Pickup trucks | PU | - |
| Vans | VAN | - |
The United States Federal Highway Administration has developed a classification scheme used for automatically calculating road use tolls. There are two broad categories depending on whether the vehicle carries passengers or commodities. Vehicles that carry commodities are further subdivided by number of axles and number of units, including both power and trailer units.[7]
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has developed a classification scheme used to compare fuel economy among similar vehicles. Passenger vehicles are classified based on a vehicle's total interior passenger and cargo volumes. Trucks are classified based upon their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Heavy duty vehicles are not included within the EPA scheme.[8]
| EPA car class | Total passenger and cargo volume (cu. ft.) |
|---|---|
| Two-seaters | Any (designed to seat only two adults) |
| Minicompact | Less than 85 cu ft (2,407 l) |
| Subcompact | 85–99 cu ft (2,407–2,803 l) |
| Compact | 100–109 cu ft (2,832–3,087 l) |
| Mid-size | 110–119 cu ft (3,115–3,370 l) |
| Large | 120 cu ft (3,398 l) or more |
| Small station wagons | Less than 130 cu ft (3,681 l) |
| Mid-size station wagons | 130–159 cu ft (3,681–4,502 l) |
| Large station wagons | 160 cu ft (4,531 l) or more |
A similar set of classes is used by the Canadian EPA.[9] The Canadian National Collision Database (NCDB) system defines "passenger car" as a unique class, but also identifies two other categories involving passenger vehicles—the "passenger van" and "light utility vehicle"—and these categories are inconsistently handled across the country with the boundaries between the vehicles increasingly blurred.[10]
In Australia, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries publishes its own classifications
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