Hybrid News

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Legislation and Policy

Ever since the Chevrolet Volt appeared as a concept last year, debate has been hot and heavy over exactly what it is. Although many call it a hybrid because it has a battery and an engine, GM prefers to call it an extended range-electric vehicle (ER-EV). That poses a problem for GM when it comes to emissions and fuel economy testing. With its 40 mile electric only range the Volt could complete the US06 test cycle that is part of the current EPA test regimen without ever running its engine. So far this doesn’t sit well with the EPA which considers the Volt a hybrid and expects it to complete the test cycle with a charged battery. GM and the feds have been going back and forth on this for months. Reports out this morning on Bloomberg and the Detroit Free Press indicated that GM and the EPA had reached an agreement that would potentially see the Volt as the first car classified with a 100 mpg rating are erroneous. We called spokesman Rob Peterson to get the scoop, and it turns out that GM has reached an agreement with the California Air Resources Board, (CARB) on a unique classification for the Volt. Peterson told ABG that this classification would reflect the Volt’s true capability, essentially treating it as an EV. According to Peterson, “the classification helps us to optimize the Volt for what it does do, instead of being put into the category with a normal hybrid.” This will potentially allow GM to run the Volt with the planned charge sustaining mode rather than having to run the engine to fully recharge the battery at the end of the test.

The agreement with CARB gives GM a bargaining chip in its talks with the EPA, but Peterson cautions that the automaker and the federal agency “still have a long way to go” to finalize any agreement. The Volt may yet get that magic 100 mpg rating, but it’s not there yet.

[Source: General Motors]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Legislation and Policy, USA

If the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passes the legislation that it is currently considering, getting your hands on a PHEV conversion, like the one recently created by Hymotion, might be a bit more difficult. Whether or not this is a bad thing depends on your point of view. Those looking to add a plug-in module to their Prius in order to use as little gas as possible might be paying a few more bucks for the conversion, as the pending legislation would force the manufacturer to go through the same rigorous certification process that new cars must pass. Of course, this could be an expensive proposition and could keep some contenders completely out of the market. The benefit, as some see it, would be that owners would be sure that their newly-converted plug-ins would meet all current emissions standards, something which may not necessarily be the case otherwise. Added peace-of-mind would come from forcing the manufacturers to offer a standard , something the legislation would also require. Another requirement which has seen some opposition is the mandate of a maximum four-hour charge time and a specific branded charger.

Those with an interest in following the legislation can click here. CARB is currently accepting comments from the public regarding the pending legislation. If you feel strongly about the subject, you can make your voice heard by clicking here for CARB’s contact information.

[Source: Greentech Media]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Hydrogen, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle), EVS23

EVS23, the 23rd major symposium on Electric Vehicles organized by the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) and the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA), began Monday morning in Anaheim, California with a series of addresses that set the stage for what will happen here over the next three days.
It is true that there were a series of press conferences on Sunday (and the public ride and drive), but the less said about me traveling out of the Midwest in some nasty, nasty weather, the better. All I’ll say is that you all can blame icy roads and a lame taxi company for a lack of EVS23 updates from Sunday.

Anyway, opening remarks for EVS23 were delivered by Rick Kasper, the president and CEO of GEM. He introduced professor C.C. Chan from the University of Hong Kong (and the president of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Asia Pacific (EVAAP) and Robert Stüssi, the president of the European Association for Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles. I′m not sure how the welcome speakers were selected, but I don′t think that it was an accident that Asia, Europe and the US were all represented. The electric vehicle market, which, for the EDTA and WEVA includes hydrogen, hybrids and pure-electrics, is a global one. Fitting for a global problem.

(continue after the jump for more on the EDTA opening session, including audio files)

Chan talked about the first EVS, which was held in Phoenix, Arizona in 1969 and he mentioned that upcoming symposiums will be international (EVS 24 takes place in Norway in May 2009, EVS 25 in China in 2010). Chan believes that the 21st Century will be the Century of the EV. This is not exactly a bold prediction, considering, but does give us a mental image, perhaps even a powerful meme, to take forward.

The highlight of the opening plenary session was the keynote address by James Goldstene, the executive officer of the California Air Resources Board. Goldstene talked about smog in the LA basin and CARB’s role in trying to improve the air quality here. One highlight is that by the middle of the next decade, nearly half of the vehicles sold in California will meet PZEV stsandards. Goldstene talked about another revision to the ZEV mandate that is in the works, which will likely be discussed at CARB’s meeting in February (we’ll have more on this as we get closer to that date). Goldstene said that hydrogen fuel cells are ready for a bigger role in the legislation and that small battery-only cars (i.e., NEVs) are gaining in popularity. Plug-in cars will probably be mixed into the ZEV mandate as well. You can listen Goldstene’s comments here.

CARB’s 2050 plan, which tries to reduce greenhouse gases by 80 percent, envisions - surprise - a radically different fuel use set-up (only 11 percent of cars will be fueled solely by dinojuice, for example). Goldstene said, but didn′t include in his slides, a mention that we also need to reduce driving to reach the emissions goal. Hey, now there’s a 21st Century idea.

John Bryson, the president and CEO of Edison International, also spoke about Southern California Edison’s plans for a smart grid (regular readers should be familiar with this, but if you need or want a refresher, give his talk a listen here) and confirmed that all of SCE’s customers are expected to have a smart meter by 2013. Both Bryson and Susan Cischke, senior VP, sustainability, environment and safety engineering at Ford, mentioned that SCE and Ford would have a ceremony noting the hand-over of an Escape PHEV later in the day (I’ll be posting on that event soon). Cischke also gave a rundown of Ford’s green moves (are they bold?), again noting the PHEV development.

Terry Tamminen was also on hand (but not speaking) as Honda’s third hydrogen-powered FCX retail customer. Tamminen joins the Spallino family and Q′orianka Kilcher in a small group willing to fork over good money for a hydrogen car.

You′ll note that I didn’t post audio of the entire plenary session. Unlike, say, the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo, where the public is invited, EVS23 is an industry event. Therefore, the EDTA doesn’t allow full sessions to be broadcast/posted. The EDTA has given AutoblogGreen permission to post 15-20 minute chunks, and that’s what we’ll do throughout the week. Stay tuned.

(Click on any slide to enlarge)

slide for James Goldstene’s presentation.

Slides for Susan Cischke of Ford (above and below)

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Diesel, Legislation and Policy

As we’ve discussed here before, one of the issues with cutting emissions - whether they are greenhouse or noxious gases - is the number of older vehicles still on the road. The number of new cleaner vehicles added every year is dwarfed by the number of existing vehicles which may stay on the road for 15-20 years or more. Getting a rapid reduction in emissions would be helped a lot if all those old vehicles could be retired. The California Air Resources Board has proposed spending up to $25 million to help accelerate this process. The agency wants to use the money to either replace or retrofit nearly 800 trucks operating in Southern California, the Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay area. The focus is on cleaning up trucks that are moving goods from ports to other areas of the state where the emissions from those trucks are affecting a large area.

[Source: California Air Resources Board, via Green Car Congress]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, Ford

• Ford Escape hybrid: sales in California up 10 percent in January 2008 compared to January 2007.
• Ford Focus (with its PZEV rating): up 11 percent.

Those are the highlights of a press release Ford put out yesterday and available after the jump. FoMoCo makes the case that these increases show how Californians “are choosing Ford clean air vehicles.” Well, kind of. Ford sold 296 of the 30 mpg hwy/34 mpg city Escape hybrids in California last month. Those 296 made up 39 percent of all Escape hybrids sold in the U.S. in January. Ford didn’t announce the quantity of Focuses sold. The 2008 sedans get 35 mpg hwy and 24 mpg city.

FORD HELPING GOLDEN STATE GO GREEN

* Ford Escape Hybrid January sales up 10 percent in California, expanding on a banner year in 2007
* PZEV Ford Focus January 2008 sales up 11 percent in California

IRVINE, Calif. (Feb. 25, 2008) - Ford Escape Hybrid sales in California increased 10 percent in January 2008 compared with the same month last year. Californians bought 296 Ford Escape Hybrids in January, which accounted for 39 percent of total Escape Hybrid sales nationwide. This expands the momentum of 2007 in which California sales of Escape Hybrid totaled 4,841 and represented nearly 33 percent of the national total.

“A growing number of California consumers are choosing Ford clean air vehicles,” said Hal Dewsnap, Ford Los Angeles Regional Manager. “Escape Hybrid and our other PZEV-certified vehicle sales, like the Focus, are adding to the population of clean vehicles in California.”

Ford Focus sales in California jumped 11 percent year over year. Dewsnap attributed the increase to the car’s significant re-design for 2008, its PZEV emissions rating, and its all-new SYNC voice recognition technology developed with Microsoft, allowing for Bluetooth and digital media integration of electronic devices including cell phones and MP3 players.

“California consumers want high-tech products in their lives,” said Dewsnap. “Combining PZEV emissions capability with SYNC technology makes this car state-of-the-art. Consumers have really responded to it.”

PZEV vehicles (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles) are the cleanest gasoline engine vehicles on the road today, 97% cleaner than the average 2003 California automobile. They are warranted to meet these low emissions requirements for 15 years or 150,000 miles.

Ford Motor Company offers California car buyers the widest choice of PZEV vehicles of any manufacturer, with Ford division offering five models: Focus compact, Fusion mid-size, Taurus full-size, Taurus X crossover and the Escape Hybrid SUV.

With 34 mpg in city driving, the Ford Escape Hybrid is the cleanest and most fuel-efficient SUV on the road. Combined with interior space and features such as Escape Hybrid’s available industry-first 100-percent recycled seating surfaces, it meets Californians’ demands for functionality combined with environmental leadership.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 245,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com .

[Source: Ford]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

While the federal government massages the details of the 35-by-2020 CAFE standard into existence and the
EPA and California (along with other states) are in court over state-based CO₂ emissions laws, regulators in California are moving ahead with proposals to force automakers to sell vehicles with a fleet average of over 40 mpg by 2020 in that state based on greenhouse gas emissions. Since at least 15 other states have signed on to California’s auto laws, the California rules could mean that almost a third of the states in the U.S. (those that make up about half the U.S. new-vehicle market) would have laws much stricter than the federal CAFE standard. The auto industry - surprise - is vehemently against this proposal but the three remaining major presidential candidates, according to Automotive News, are in favor of allowing states to enforce their own greenhouse gas rules.

[Source: Automotive News]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

We have a new chapter to add to the EPA vs. state regulations soap opera. EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson has finally given a reason why the EPA is anti-state rules. Basically, Johnson says the EPS does not see enough proof of increased climate change in California compared to the rest of the nation to justify separate rules. Still, he admits that EPA’s authorization of separate pollution rules in the ’60s and ’70s were justified because air quality was considerably worse in California than in the rest of the U.S. You can read more of Johnson’s statement after the jump

Reactions have been, to say the least, intense. For instance, California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown dismissed Johnson’s arguments as “obfuscating, sabotaging . . . specious, ill-founded. . . . We’re going to fight him until he’s sent packing by the next president.” Environmentalists said that 18 states have either adopted the California rules or announced their intentions to do so, and the resulting curbs on greenhouse gas emissions would have beneficial effects across the nation (and the world). S. William Becker, executive director of the National Assn. of Clean Air Agencies said the EPA position was “a shameful attack on states′ rights.”

Related:

• CAFE what? California law could require 40-plus miles per gallon by 2020
• Automakers’ Rep. John Dingell renews attempt to block state CO₂ regs
• Florida joins California in lawsuit against the EPA over new emissions rules
• EPA says no to California greenhouse gas rules waiver

Excerpted statement by EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson:

While I find that the conditions related to global climate change in California are substantial, they are not sufficiently different from conditions in the nation as a whole to justify separate state standards. California’s precipitation increases are not qualitatively different from changes in other areas. Rises in sea level in the coastal parts of the United States are projected to be as severe, or more severe, particularly in consequences, in the Atlantic and Gulf regions than in the Pacific regions . . . and while California’s temperatures have increased by more than the national average, there are other places in the United States with higher or similar increases in temperature.

[Source: LA Times]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

We have a new chapter to add to the EPA vs. state regulations soap opera. EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson has finally given a reason why the EPA is anti-state rules. Basically, Johnson says the EPS does not see enough proof of increased climate change in California compared to the rest of the nation to justify separate rules. Still, he admits that EPA’s authorization of separate pollution rules in the ’60s and ’70s were justified because air quality was considerably worse in California than in the rest of the U.S. You can read more of Johnson’s statement after the jump

Reactions have been, to say the least, intense. For instance, California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown dismissed Johnson’s arguments as “obfuscating, sabotaging . . . specious, ill-founded. . . . We’re going to fight him until he’s sent packing by the next president.” Environmentalists said that 18 states have either adopted the California rules or announced their intentions to do so, and the resulting curbs on greenhouse gas emissions would have beneficial effects across the nation (and the world). S. William Becker, executive director of the National Assn. of Clean Air Agencies said the EPA position was “a shameful attack on states’ rights.”

Related:

• CAFE what? California law could require 40-plus miles per gallon by 2020
• Automakers’ Rep. John Dingell renews attempt to block state CO₂ regs
• Florida joins California in lawsuit against the EPA over new emissions rules
• EPA says no to California greenhouse gas rules waiver

Excerpted statement by EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson:

While I find that the conditions related to global climate change in California are substantial, they are not sufficiently different from conditions in the nation as a whole to justify separate state standards. California’s precipitation increases are not qualitatively different from changes in other areas. Rises in sea level in the coastal parts of the United States are projected to be as severe, or more severe, particularly in consequences, in the Atlantic and Gulf regions than in the Pacific regions . . . and while California’s temperatures have increased by more than the national average, there are other places in the United States with higher or similar increases in temperature.

[Source: LA Times]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Xavier Navarro

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, USA

Sierra Club California is appealing to its members to take action for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Sierra Club is one of the large environmental organizations that have been quite active federally and at the state level as government wrestles with automotive and emissions policies. Its involvement in the California debate is significant.

The ZEV Program of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) resulted in thousands of electric cars on the roads of California from 1997 through 2003. Revisions to the program in 2003 reduced dramatically the numbers of ZEVs required of automakers in the near term.

Carmakers promised time would allow alternative zero-emission technology to become commercializable. As we mentioned a bit yesterday, the 2003 revision permitted carmakers to follow their chosen path, and therefore didn’t require higher numbers for more than a decade. Now the promised 25,000 ZEVs in the 2014-2017 period are within view. And CARB staff is advocating that that number be slashed by 90 percent. Sierra Club California believes that CARB should hold automakers to their 2003 commitment.

This is not a narrow California concern. As Sierra Club states in its Action Alert, “California is the only state allowed under the Clean Air Act to set tougher limits on vehicle emissions than federal regulations. Other states can choose to follow California′s standards, and at least 10 states hope to do so. The CARB vote has national implications.”

The Board is set to vote on March 27.

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Original post by Marc Geller

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

California Air Resources Board’s important meeting that will decide on the fate of the Zero Emission Vehicle Program (aka the ZEV Mandate) takes place Thursday (background here and here). As one of the big players in the electric vehicle space, Tesla Motors certainly has an interest in how the vote goes on the 27th. To explain his company’s point of view, Tesla Motors President and CEO, Ze’ev Drori, published a letter to CARB on the Tesla website today (it was sent to CARB on the 18th). He will also attend the meeting to deliver his message in person.

Drori’s main message is that the proposed changes to the the ZEV Mandate, which would reduce the amount of pure electric cars the automakers would be required to make. Instead of 25,000 in 2014-2017, the revisions call for a 90 percent drop and claim that battery technology is not available yet to produce that many EVs. Drori, who knows at least a little about how to build an EV, says such a change could “make a mockery of CARB itself.” For his detailed explanation of why CARB might be making this huge mistake, read his letter.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

 

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily

One day remains before the California Air Resources Board (CARB) votes on the latest proposed revision (read weakening) of the Zero Emission Vehicle Program, and the press is picking up the story, with headlines trumpeting Will California Kill the Electric Car Again? (here, here and here) CARB opted to promote hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles (FCV) over battery electric cars when it revised the program in 2003, and the automakers destroyed most of the electric cars that had been deployed.

A schedule was set for the manufacture of FCVs, rising to 25,000 by 2015, but the technology remains far from commercialization and automakers have been lobbying to lower the numbers. Although some major manufacturers, most prominently GM with its Chevy Volt, have announced intentions to begin commercial production of electric drive cars, all have signed on to a letter to CARB decrying the CARB staff proposal to reduce by 90 percent the number of required ZEVs as still too onerous. Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and a host of environmental organizations along with Tesla Motors and former CIA Director James Woolsey held a press conference this morning in front of CARB, and will be testifying at tomorrow’s hearing to press the case for a higher numbers of ZEVs. Consumers who want electric options available sooner rather than later can make their voice hear via links to CARB and Governor Schwarzengger here. (Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Plug In America.)

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Original post by Marc Geller

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hydrogen, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily

One day before what could be an historic vote of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that happens today, Plug In America held a press conference and rally to press the case for a strong Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program. Directly opposite the California EPA building, a large banner was dropped during the event with a message for CARB: “Electric Cars for a Change.” Activists hope to move the CARB Board members to reject the staff proposal to cut by 90 percent the number of zero-emission vehicles now required of the major automakers by 2015 (currently set at 25,000). One additional major point of contention with the program has been the tilt toward hydrogen and fuel cells embedded in the ZEV program since 2003, when a revision ended the agency’s promotion of battery electric cars. Jim Woolsey, former Chief of Central Intelligence, flew across the country to add his voice to the activists call for parity between fuel cell and battery electric cars. Woolsey railed against the expense and inefficiency of hydrogen for vehicles in a preview of his testimony to come on Thursday (today). (Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Plug In America)

[Source: Plug In America]

 

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Original post by Marc Geller

Filed under: Legislation and Policy

As the California Air Resources Board meets today to vote on revisions to the ZEV Mandate, the voices calling on CARB to not kill the electric car all over again are rising. Jim Woolsey, Tesla’s Ze’ev Drori, the Sierra Club and many more are telling CARB to keep the EV alive. Another voice, perhaps unexpected, has now joined the chorus: George Shultz, who was Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State.

Schultz has written a letter (PDF) to California Governor Schwarzenegger asking that the governator intervene and call on state air regulators to promote plug-in cars instead of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This seems unlikely to me, considering Schwarzenegger’s love of hydrogen cars and his Hydrogen Highway effort. Schultz said hydrogen cars are not a “near-term technology″ and added that other states look to California’s leadership in the alternative fueled vehicle scene. We’ll have more on the CARB vote later today and there are more details after the jump.

Press Release:

Former Secretary of State George P. Shultz Urges Gov. Schwarzenegger To Save the Electric Car

Shultz’s 11th-Hour Plea, One Day Before Key Car Vote, Calls for More Plug In Electric Hybrids Instead of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars

SACRAMENTO - On the eve of a vote that could kill the electric car all over again, former Secretary of State George P. Shultz has asked California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to “intervene” by urging state air regulators to require significant production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles instead of favoring the hydrogen fuel cell technology that Shultz termed “an R&ampD project.”

To read George Shultz’ letter go to PlugInAmerica.org.

Shultz, who served under President Ronald Reagan, made the plea in an 11th-hour letter to Schwarzenegger delivered Wednesday as Plug In America voiced similar concerns during a press conference (video available here www.pluginamerica.org) in Sacramento. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is slated to vote on Thursday (3/27) on a revision to its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program that prioritizes hydrogen fuel cell production over battery electric vehicles.

“With due respect to the long-term prospects of hydrogen, it is not a near-term technology,” wrote Shultz, who sent a copy of his letter to CARB chairwoman Mary Nichols. “We must implement alternatives that are viable today instead of putting so much emphasis on an R&ampD project.”

“The rest of the country is looking to California for leadership on this issue by making a variety of vehicles available to consumers,” wrote Shultz, adding his conviction that electric vehicle technology can free the nation of its reliance on foreign oil. “Choice in the market means a more secure America.”

Plug In America board members and supporters, including former Central Intelligence Agency chief R. James Woolsey, have discussed the CARB proposal with Shultz. The clean-car advocacy organization delivered a letter of its own to the Governor last week, urging him to ask CARB to require tens of thousands of fully electric vehicles instead of one-tenth of that, as the board’s staff proposal does now.

Another former Reagan Administration official, Deputy Under Secretary of Education Dr. Peter R. Greer, sent yet another plea to Gov. Schwarzenegger last week. Voicing his concerns about climate change as well as national security, he “all but begged″ the Governor to “direct CARB to put electric vehicles back on the road again by adopting the changes to the ZEV Program proposed by Plug In America.”

Individual citizens from all 50 U.S. states and 20 other countries have sent similar messages to Schwarzenegger and CARB over the past two weeks.

A large crowd, including more than a dozen drivers with their fully electric vehicles, cheered during Plug In America’s press conference, which was covered by national and state media. Woolsey, among the event’s speakers, also addressed the need for America’s independence from foreign oil. Both he and Plug In America executive director Chelsea Sexton will testify in support of electric vehicles on Thursday(3/27) before the CARB vote.

[Source: Plug In America]

 

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

CARB’s meeting today is scheduled to go until at least 10 pm EST. We′ll report on the news of the day once things are over, but if you’d like to keep a tab on what’s going on right now, check out this page for ways to stream the audio and video feed from California. I heard a bit of Who Killed the Electric Car? director Chris Paine’s testimony (he called the hearing a bit of a cast reunion) and I believe the California EPA will keep to hearing available online in an archive, so if you can’t watch now, you can check it out later. Enjoy.

[Source: CA EPA, thanks to Joseph]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Well, it happened. The California Air Resources Board decided that electric vehicles and similar zero-emission autos are not ready for prime time. CARB voted to cut the number of zero-emission vehicles that automakers will need to sell in the state by 70 percent. This isn′t as bad as the 90 percent cut many had feared, but it’s still a massive reduction in pressure on the big auto companies to produce clean rides. CARB chair Mary Nichols called the reduced requirement (7,500 cars between 2012 and 2014 instead of 25,000 as a 2003 revision had called for) was “realistic″ and that the pressure would still be brought to bear to get hydrogen fuel cell and electric vehicles onto California roads. The definition of “zero emission″ and “partial zero emission″ has always been slightly confusing (I mean, really, what is a partial zero?), and it just got murkier. According to Reuters, Nichols said, “All we’ve done is change the definition of a ZEV to allow an electric vehicle to have a little supplemental gasoline that goes with it. I don’t think that it’s a step backward in the real world.” No, but it’s not really a step forward, either.

[Source: Nichola Groom / Reuters]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco