California Takes a Step Backward on Ultra-Clean Cars

State Air Resources Board Must Revisit Zero Emission Vehicles Standard, Science Group Says

April 2, 2008 -- BERKELEY (April 2, 2008) -- The California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted last week to weaken requirements for automakers to produce ultra-clean cars under the state's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program. However, CARB asked its staff to begin overhauling the entire ZEV program so it can further California's air quality, global warming and oil use goals.

In addition, CARB agreed to review an analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the Natural Resources Defense Council and five other groups that identifies nine loopholes in the program which allow automakers to avoid producing ultra-clean cars.

The ZEV program originally required automakers to produce 25,000 pure-zero emission vehicles from 2012 to 2014. CARB voted to reduce that requirement to 7,500 vehicles. To compensate for this loss, the agency will require automakers to produce 58,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Plug-in hybrids can dramatically reduce pollution and oil consumption, but are not a long-term substitute for pure zero emission vehicles such as battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, according to UCS. A UCS analysis concluded that even with widespread acceptance of plug-in hybrids, the state would need 379,000 pure zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2020 to be on a path to meet the its long-term global warming pollution reduction target.

"CARB just made it harder for the state to do what it needs to do to meet its goals: put the cleanest vehicle technology on the road," said UCS senior vehicle analyst Spencer Quong, the author of the analysis.

Conversely, Quong was pleased that CARB decided to start updating the program next year. Any changes it makes to the program will take effect in 2015. He noted that CARB said it would redesign the program in light of the state's air quality, oil use and global warming pollution goals. "The board clearly recognizes the need to revisit the program, but we'll have to wait and see if they do it in a way that will significantly bolster California's clean energy economy," he said.

Source: UCS

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