Latest Version of MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES)

MOVES4: Latest Version of Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator

EPA's MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) is a state-of-the-science emission modeling system that estimates emissions for mobile sources at the national, county, and project level for criteria air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and air toxics.

• Background
• Guidance
• Download
• User Materials

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Background on MOVES4

MOVES4 is now the latest official version of MOVES and has been updated and improved from the previous version by:

• Incorporating the updates on vehicle populations, fuel supply, travel activity, and emission rates.
• Accounting for the emission impacts of the EPA heavy-duty low NOx rule for model years 2027 and later and the light-duty greenhouse gas rule for model years 2023 and later.
• Adding the ability to model of heavy-duty battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles, as well as CNG long-haul combination trucks.
• Improving the modeling of light-duty electric vehicles.
• Improving the user interface to make the model easier to use and updating the platform for compatibility with newer software.

These updates ensure that MOVES4 is a state-of the-science model to estimate motor vehicle emissions and the most accurate tool for estimating emissions from the transportation sector for most purposes.

• EPA Releases MOVES4 Mobile Source Emissions Model: Questions and Answers (pdf) (87 KB, August 2023, EPA-420-F-23-019) highlights the difference between MOVES4 and earlier versions of MOVES
• Overview of EPA’s MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES4) (pdf) (1.6 MB, August 2023, EPA-420-R-23-019) provides a high-level overview of MOVES4, including references to technical documentation and other MOVES information.
• Onroad and nonroad technical reports that explain MOVES inputs, including changes for MOVES4 are available.

Guidance

• Federal Register Notice of Availability: Official Release of MOVES4 Motor Vehicle Emissions Model for Emissions Inventories in SIPs and Transportation Conformity (pdf) (233 KB, published September 12, 2023)
  This notice announced the use of MOVES4 for official SIP development and transportation conformity purposes in states other than California.
• MOVES4 Policy Guidance: Use of MOVES for State Implementation Plan Development, Transportation Conformity, General Conformity and Other Purposes (pdf) (317 KB, August 2023, EPA-420-B-23-009) This guidance describes how and when to use MOVES4 for SIP development, transportation conformity, general conformity, and other purposes in states other than California.
• MOVES4 Technical Guidance: Using MOVES to Prepare Emission Inventories for State Implementation Plans and Transportation Conformity (pdf) (1.3 MB, August 2023, EPA-420-B-23-011) This guidance describes appropriate input assumptions and sources of data for the use of MOVES4 in SIP development and regional emissions analyses for transportation conformity determinations in states other than California. It also includes guidance on developing nonroad inventories with MOVES4.
• See State and Local Transportation Resources for further information on transportation conformity and SIPs, and other MOVES guidance at the following links:
  • SIP Policy and Technical Guidance (includes MOVES guidance on estimating emission reductions from control measures; using MOVES for VMT offset demonstrations)
  • Transportation Conformity Policy and Technical Guidance (includes MOVES guidance on estimating emission reductions from control measures)
  • Project-level Conformity and Hot-spot Analysis (PM and CO hot-spot guidance, including use of MOVES at Project Scale)
  • I/M Policy and Technical Guidance (e.g., Performance Standard Modeling using MOVES)
  • Port Emissions Inventory Guidance (includes use of MOVES for some sectors)
  • Estimating Emission Reductions form Travel Efficiency Strategies (e.g., transit, pricing, bike and pedestrian programs - see Travel Efficiency Assessment Method User Guide)
  • Estimating GHG Emissions (MOVES GHG Guidance)

Downloading MOVES4

• Download 4.0.1 (exe) : After downloading the setup file, run MOVES4.0.1-Setup-20240117.exe and follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation.
  • MOVES4 Update Log provides a summary of updates to MOVES4.

MOVES User Materials

• MOVES4 does not have a stand-alone user guide. User help information is integrated into the model itself; also refer to the MOVES4 Technical Guidance: Using MOVES to Prepare Emission Inventories for State Implementation Plans and Transportation Conformity (pdf) (1.3 MB, August 2023, EPA-420-B-23-011) and MOVES Training.
• MOVES Training provides detailed information on running MOVES.
• The MOVES GitHub site provides access to the MOVES source code and additional documentation, including “Cheat Sheets” that are useful for decoding MOVES inputs and outputs.
• Overview of EPA’s MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES4) (pdf) (1.6 MB, August 2023, EPA-420-R-23-019) provides detailed references to technical documentation and other MOVES information.