Autoblog

CARB chairman chides automakers for petition against EV mandates

Zach Bowman — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Electric

Automakers aren't happy about a California mandate that requires manufacturers to sell 1.4 million electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles by 2025. As such, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers have filed a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency to block the state's mandate. Mary Nichols, chairman of the California Air Resources Board, chided car companies for "shooting yourselves in the foot," while speaking at the SAE International World Congress. Nichols also asked, "Rather than rehashing the same, tired legal battles of our past, why not work together to collectively support and develop this market?"

Of course, as Bloomberg points out, automakers can only comply with the plan if buyers want to bring home zero-emission models in high volumes. So far, that hasn't happened. "It serves no one, not the state economy or consumers or automakers, to have these vehicles sit unsold on dealer lots," said Gloria Bergquist, a spokesperson with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

CARB chairman chides automakers for petition against EV mandates originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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California breaks rank again, demands over 15% of cars sold be non-polluting by 2025

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Electric

Less than a year after everyone with any sort of say in the matter seemed to agree that 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025 was a properly attainable goal, the California Air Resources Board has decided to change things up a bit.

In addition to CAFE requirements of a 54.5-mpg fleet average (using the government's formula, not what you see on window stickers), at least 15.4 percent of all cars sold by any major automaker doing business in California will have to be either fully electric, a plug-in hybrid or be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell by 2025. There are questions about the "over-compliance" section of the bill, which we'll be investigating further.

According to Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, 15.4 percent is "actually a relatively modest goal, but that's all that we're mandating." Most automakers are on board, says Nichols. "Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry... Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary."

Even if automakers are on board, though, there's still a question of who will actually buy the vehicles. While everyone wants better fuel efficiency, not everyone is willing to pay for it, counters the California New Car Dealers Association, estimating that the plan would add about $3,200 to the average price of a new car or truck. Perhaps to help dissuade such fears, Nichols added that "direct incentives to people who buy these cars (like) rebates and credits" are also in the works.

At least 10 more states are likely to follow California's lead, reports Automotive News. That would put the total number of advanced green vehicles (either with a plug or powered by hydrogen) at around three million total units by 2025, 1.4 million of which would be in California.

California breaks rank again, demands over 15% of cars sold be non-polluting by 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CARB's latest ZEV revision could add 1.4m more green cars, create a big loophole

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Electric

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is holding meetings that could put the hammer down on getting more zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) on the road - or so it seems at first glance.

CARB, which always looks far down the road, is discussing how it will change the ZEV program that concerns model year 2018 vehicles and beyond. The proposal (PDF, but watch out: it's 670 pages that are not searchable!) could force automakers to add half a million pure electric or fuel cell vehicles and another 900,000 plug-in hybrids by 2025, writes The New York Times. Overall, CARB's proposal would increase the market segment of advanced clean cars from four percent in 2025 to 15 percent in the future. CARB is also asking for more hydrogen stations to be built.

That may all sound good, but there's another side to the story, one that's a big loophole. Plug In America is calling on its members to oppose a portion of the proposal that could actually reduce the number of ZEVs on the roads in the future. Comparatively, anyway. In a letter to the DOE and EPA, CARB Chair Mary Nichols wrote:

California commits to propose that its revised ZEV program for the 2018-2021 MYs include a provision providing that over-compliance with the federal GHG standards in the prior model year may be used to reduce in part a manufacturer's ZEV obligation in the next model year.

The details are that, for every two grams per mile of GHG overcompliance, an automaker could "cut the number of pure electric-drive vehicles [it has to offer] by as much as 50% over 2018 to 2021," writes Plug In America, which also calls it a "sweetheart deal" and "a bad deal for California and for the United States." PIA writes that Honda, Hyundai and Toyota lobbied for this overcompliance language. We'll keep following this one.

CARB's latest ZEV revision could add 1.4m more green cars, create a big loophole originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CARB offering compromise on emissions regulations?

Michael Harley — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

After protests by California auto dealers, the head of California's Air Resources Board (CARB) said she is willing to discuss modifying one aspect of the state's stringent emission regulations. Mary Nichols, CARB Chairwoman, told reporters at an SAE Government/Industry meeting that she is open to "regional" standards for tailpipe emissions, rather than the current standards that create state-by-state standards.

As it stands now, automakers need to cut tailpipe emissions 30 percent by 2016, per regulations established by California in 2002. With 13 states adopting those same requirements and more in the process, a patchwork of regulations is emerging nationwide. Automakers, and auto dealers, have argued that such a trend could force some brands to stop selling vehicles altogether in places like California, because it's too cost prohibitive to build different versions of the same car to meet a multitude of standards. Some also speculate that consumers would just go buy larger vehicles in neighboring states with less stringent regulations. A regional approach to emission regulations might protect auto dealers from watching their business walking out of the state, but we're certain that the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers that represents most major carmakers in the U.S. will continue arguing for California's standards to be disregarded in favor of the more stringent national standards set forth in our nation's new energy bill.

[Source: Detroit News]

CARB offering compromise on emissions regulations? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 May 2008 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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