Blog Posts

The U.S. Government Shutdown Could Delay Ram Heavy Duty Sales

Furloughed workers aren't able to certify the new models for sale

If you’re anxious to buy a new Ram Heavy Duty, you may be in for a wait.

We only just saw the Ram Heavy Duty at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. And yet, it may be awhile longer before they actually reach customers. The current federal government shutdown may start affecting sales, as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agents aren’t able to certify the new trucks for sale.

According to a Detroit News post, Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley said the process to certify the truck’s emissions have halted, as the shutdown suspended the certification process. “It’s on hold,” he said, “hopefully until the shutdown gets resolved. At some point they need to be certified.” Current plans have the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty on sale this spring.

It’s not just Ram, either. General Motors pointed out its also waiting on certification for its 2020 model year vehicles. That means the upcoming Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD could also face delays.

The EPA responded to the Detroit News. In that response, they said that because manufacturers test their own vehicles and report the results to the EPA, it “has not significantly delayed any certification application.” According to the EPA’s website, “[the agency] reviews the results and confirms about 10-15 percent of them through our own tests at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory.”

2019 Ram Power Wagon

As it stands, however, someone needs to sign off on manufacturers’ reports before they can put their vehicles up for sale. As the shutdown process deemed several hundred thousand EPA employees non-essential workers, the government has furloughed them until further notice. Until lawmakers and the president resolve the shutdown, manufacturers like Ram will have to wait until their trucks are certified before customers can actually buy them.