California Air Resources Board
-
For 50 years now, California has been at the very forefront of reducing vehicle emissions. It was doing so before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was even formed, and its powerful Air Resources Board has been a vital force in getting plug-in electric vehicles onto the state's roads. Despite the national political currents, the state will clearly continue to push for more zero-emission vehicles. DON'T MISS: Will California lead the green-car resistance? In fact, a recent report from the Board says that advances in battery-electric vehicles have come faster than it expected only a few...
-
Emission updates for 2015 VW, Audi 2.0-liter TDI diesels OKed by regulators
The $14.7 billion diesel-emission settlement among Volkswagen and regulatory agencies required VW to buy back or modify almost half a million TDI vehicles from model years 2009 through 2015. While the buybacks have received the most attention—and most owners are expected to take...
John Voelcker -
CA regulator to start testing VW TDI diesel modifications for all versions
The California Air Resources Board will test proposed modifications for Volkswagen 2.0-liter TDI models.
Stephen Edelstein -
California may cap ZEV-credit sales; why it matters to Tesla, and for electric cars
California may cap ZEV credit sales to eliminate excess credits.
Stephen Edelstein -
VW settlement with EPA announced over diesel emission scandal (updated)
Volkswagen and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today that they had reached an agreement on a plan to address hundreds of thousands of diesel vehicles sold over six years deliberately designed to violate U.S. emission laws. The agreement, released at 8 am California time this morning...
John Voelcker -
Can VW, agencies meet April 21 diesel-fix deadline? EPA head not sure
Nine days remain until the deadline imposed by a judge for Volkswagen and two regulatory agencies to agree on the outline of a plan to modify vehicles affected by the diesel-emission scandal. That deadline was already postponed once, but whether VW, the EPA, and the powerful California Air...
John Voelcker -
"Six months is enough," said Judge Charles Breyer in February, when he imposed a March 24 deadline for regulators and Volkswagen to agree how to modify 580,000 diesel vehicles. Except that it wasn't. Yesterday, Judge Breyer extended the deadline four weeks, to April 21, at the request of all parties involved. DON'T MISS: Judge Tells VW To Find Diesel Fix By March 24: 'Six Months Is Enough' The regulators are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the powerful California Air Resources Board. According to a news story from Reuters, both agencies supported Volkswagen's request for more...
-
VW kept earlier Audi emissions issue from regulators
Volkswagen hid a previous emissions-related issue from regulators, a new report claims.
Stephen Edelstein -
CARB Shows Test Equipment That Found VW Diesel Defeat Device (Video)
The California Air Resources Board shows the type of equipment that found Volkswagen's "defeat device" software.
Stephen Edelstein -
Leak At Natural-Gas Field Now One-Quarter Of All CA Methane Emissions (UPDATED)
For half a century, California has been at the forefront of reducing emissions and cleaning up air pollution. And the state has made breathtaking progress since the days of early-Seventies technicolor photochemical smog alerts. But then bad things happen--and a leak at a single natural-gas well...
John Voelcker -
California Rejects VW Diesel Fix Plan: 'Gaps,' 'Lacks Detail'
The California Air Resources Board rejected Volkswagen's plan to modify 2.0-liter diesel cars.
Stephen Edelstein -
Ignore VW Diesels, Make Company Sell Electric Cars: Tesla CEO Musk, 44 Others
It will cost a huge sum, likely billions of dollars, to make Volkswagen fix all of the 482,000 TDI diesel vehicles it has admitted use "defeat device" software to ignore emission laws. Indeed, it may not be practically possible for VW to modify 325,000 of those cars--and it would cost the company...
John Voelcker -
California's plan to reduce carbon emissions from transportation anticipates a mix of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Recharging batteries from the electric grid is relatively simple, but producing hydrogen fuel requires a good deal of energy to split pure hydrogen out of other compounds. To ensure that the carbon footprint of fuel-cell vehicles is significantly lower than that of gasoline or diesel cars, the state mandates that one-third of the energy used to produce hydrogen fuel be from renewable sources. DON'T MISS: California Air Resources Board Head: All New Cars...
-
California Air Resources Board Head: All New Cars Should Be Zero-Emission In 2030
Mary Nichols, the head of the California Air Resources Board, wants to all but eliminate internal-combustion cars in the Golden State.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Success Shows 'Weakness' Of CA Zero-Emission Rules, Company Says
Tesla opposes other carmakers' attempts to change California ZEV rules.
Stephen Edelstein -
Plug-In Hybrids OK For Smaller Makers To Meet CA Zero-Emission Vehicle Rules
California's Zero-Emission Vehicle sales rules have been a major reason the state's drivers can now choose among two dozen different plug-in electric vehicles on sale today. Those rules will expand to cover more carmakers in 2018. And the behind-the-scenes jockeying by smaller makers to lessen the...
John Voelcker -
Why Electric Cars Are Rare Outside CA: Arcane 'Travel Provision' Rule
The sparsity of cars with plugs has been one of the biggest frustrations for Northeastern electric-car shoppers and advocates. While California buyers can choose among roughly two dozen different battery-electric and plug-in hybrid offerings, just a handful are available outside the state. And...
John Voelcker -
Scenarios For 2030 Zero-Emissions Cars In CA: Hydrogen Or Not?
With epic smog in the Los Angeles Basin, the state of California has led the nation's charge to reduce emissions from road vehicles for more than half a century. And it is now state policy to reduce emissions of climate-change gases, primarily carbon dioxide, from its 30 million-plus road vehicles...
John Voelcker -
Tesla Motors has been opening its Supercharger DC fast-charging stations at a dizzying pace lately, with 175 U.S. sites operating, and almost two dozen more either in construction or permitted. Globally that total is almost 400 sites, which likely represents more than 2,000 separate outlets. But Tesla battery swapping? Ah, that's a different story. DON'T MISS: About That (One) Tesla Battery Swapping Station: An Update Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk presided over a flashy event in June 2013 that purported to show the battery of a Model S electric sport sedan being swapped out and replaced in about...
-
CA Smog Plan Approved By State & EPA Isn't Tough Enough: Lawsuit
Four groups are suing over a Los Angeles-area smog-reduction plan they say isn't strict enough.
Stephen Edelstein -
Changes To CA Rules May Cut Zero-Emission Vehicle Requirement
California's rules requiring six automakers to sell specified numbers of zero-emission vehicles starting in 2012 have had a substantial impact. But a meeting to be held one week from today may determine whether required volumes of emission-free cars--likely battery-electric vehicles--are cut for a...
John Voelcker -
Will California Pioneer A World Beyond Cars This Century?
It's almost inconceivable, the idea of a world without personally-owned automobiles. But that's the startling vision proposed by noted researcher Tom Turrentine and colleagues, in a recent paper published online in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, entitled "California: Beyond cars?" (PDF)...
John Voelcker -
Why Green Car Reports Writes About Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars
It would seem pretty obvious that a site called Green Car Reports would cover zero-emission vehicles that will soon go on sale from major global automakers. But cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells turn out to be as controversial as plug-in electric cars, albeit for different reasons--and among...
John Voelcker -
Toyota, Honda, Hyundai Fuel-Cell Cars: How Many Will Be Sold?
With almost 250,000 plug-in electric cars on U.S. roads--and double that number globally--electric vehicles are starting to establish a small foothold in the market. More than 10,000 a month were sold this past May, June, and July. But with hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles now offered by Hyundai, and...
John Voelcker