California Passes Historic Zero Emission Vehicle Regulations

The Air Board passed these historic rules, 9-0, while simultaneously, the federal government is holding hearings throughout the country on increasing fuel efficiency requirements for all passenger vehicles to 54.5 mpg by 2025 from the current standards requiring 35.5 mpg by 2016.

"The regulations by the California Air Resources Board, dubbed the "advanced clean car rules," would start in 2018, ramping up each year and ultimately resulting in 1.4 million "zero emission" vehicles on California roads by 2025. Today there are only about 10,000 such vehicles in the state."

A two-day hearing by the Air Board was held in Los Angeles, Jan. 26-27. On Jan. 24, EPA and DOT held a hearing in San Francisco on the parallel federal fuel efficiency requirements.

From San Francisco Chronicle: EPA's new mileage standards win carmakers' support: "Thirteen auto manufacturers and the United Auto Workers union are in favor of the plan, including Chrysler, Hyundai and the Ford Motor Company, representatives of which expressed their support during the hearing at the Hyatt hotel in Fisherman's Wharf." Only the National Association of Automobile Dealers voiced dissent, stating that the additional costs required by the fuel-efficient technology would "drive up the cost of a new car by $3,200, pricing out of the market 7 million licensed drivers."

Thanks to MTC-ABAG Library