California Air Resources Board
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The NHTSA and EPA are closing in on their final rules for 2017-2025 corporate average fuel economy regulations, but there's a wild card in the pack. California, which has the authority to set its own emissions laws, is going along with the proposed gas-mileage levels, which will take 2025 model-year vehicles to an average of 54.5 mpg (which translates to window stickers in the low 40s). But in mid-November, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that it would also require automakers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles (known as ZEVs) in the state, on top of the...
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Breathe Easy, Californians: Electric-Car Rebates Survive, Cut To $2,500
It came down to the wire, but in the end, California's program of purchase rebates for buyers of qualifying plug-in electric cars has survived the state's grim budget crisis. Last Thursday, we wrote about the decisions facing the California Air Resources Board: How much could it really afford to...
John Voelcker -
Will CA Still Have Electric Car Rebates? Today Is Judgement Day
As we reported back in December last year and again last month, California’s $4.1 million Clean Vehicle Rebate Project has now run out of money. If you’re one of the early adopters who has been lucky enough to buy a 2011 Nissan Leaf, or 2011 Tesla Roadster in the state since 2010 you...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
White House, Feds To Push For 56.2-MPG Fuel Economy In 2025
The two Federal agencies that set gas mileage and emissions standards for future cars may propose rules that require corporate average fuel economy to reach 56 miles per gallon by 2025. News reports out of Washington, D.C., indicate that the Obama Administration is urging the EPA and NHTSA to push...
John Voelcker -
Feds To Mandate Up To 62 MPG By 2025; What Does It Mean For You?
Two days ago, the NHTSA said that it would require annual gas-mileage improvements of somewhere between 2 and 7 percent each year between 2017 and 2025. Corporate average fuel economy requirements have already been set through 2016, an action facilitated by the Obama Administration soon after...
John Voelcker -
California, EPA, DoT Make Nice On Timing Of Higher MPG Rules
Three government agencies agree to "coordinate" their actions and announce "a single timeframe" for proposing new rules. This signals "continued collaboration" among the trio. Yawn. But actually, this is a bigger deal than you might think. In the 10 months since President Barack Obama announced a...
John Voelcker -
Proposition 23 was defeated last night, putting an end to a much ballyhooed piece of cleantech-stopping legislation that was also causing some qualms in the venture capital community. The proposal would have halted California’s AB 32 law, which requires the state to roll back greenhouse emissions to its 1990 levels by 2020. Prop 23 would have put a hold on AB32 until the state’s unemployment rate dipped to 5.5 percent for 12 months. Its largest backer was Texas oil company Valero, and also gleaned support from another Texas oil interest, Tesero, as well as conglomerate Koch...
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Car-Crazy CA No More: Air Resources Board Wants to Cut Miles Traveled
Think California is the land of fast-flowing freeways and drop-top driving under the endless sun? Think again. The California Air Resources Board is now writing rules to implement a law passed two years ago that will require regional reductions in vehicle miles traveled. In other words, the state...
John Voelcker -
California Wants 1 Million Electric Cars On Its Road By 2020
During his 2008 campaign for president, Barack Obama famously said that he wanted one million plug-in cars on U.S. roads by 2015. That's a goal that many experts continue to think will be extremely hard to attain. Now California has adopted the same goal for the state alone, but with a different...
John Voelcker -
Oil-Backed Prop. 23 Could Suspend CA Emissions Reductions, Hurt Green Startups
Come November, California voters could have a major impact on the state’s environment. The ballot will include Proposition 23, a measure that would suspend the Global Warming Solutions Act that passed in 2006 (otherwise known as Assembly Bill 32), which called for reductions in greenhouse gas...
John Voelcker -
We Hit the Big Time: NPR's 'All Things Considered' Calls!
We are mostly humble peasants here at Green Car Reports. We just try to report on green cars fairly, with an occasional bit of acerbity tossed in for flavor. Once in a while, we post a story that hits a chord, including our discussion of why the 2011 Chevrolet Volt may not get either an EV purchase...
John Voelcker -
2011 Chevy Volt: No $5K Rebate, HOV-Lane Access For CA Buyers
Now we know: The first two plug-in cars from major manufacturers will go head-to-head on warranties and lease prices: $350 a month for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, $349 for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. Now the choice shifts to other measures, including electric and overall range, as well as the plug-in perks...
John Voelcker -
Its official! Honda doesn't trust EVs. A week after Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn reiterated the company's support for electric cars along with plans to bring four EV models to market, Honda remain uncommitted about the future of Honda EVs. Honda's president of research and development, Tomohiko Kawanabe spoke candidly about his skepticism of electric drivetrain systems. He confirmed that while Honda plan to sell electric cars in California to comply with emissions laws in that state, making EVs is far down the list of Honda's priorities. Tomohiko Kawanabe's response to questions on the future of...
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States Bite Back Against Emissions Regulations, Even California
When automakers and the Obama White House announced agreement on a single national standard for emissions and fuel economy last May, the entire auto industry heaved a huge sigh of relief. The issue was settled, at least until 2016. Yesterday, however, the state of Texas filed suit in the U.S. Court...
John Voelcker -
Gasoline Costs More in California; Here's Why
You know that old saying about the pioneers being the ones with the arrows in their backs? Tell that to California drivers, who pay the highest prices for gasoline in the nation outside of Hawaii (which has to ship all its gasoline to the islands in tankers). The problem has grown particularly bad...
John Voelcker -
Keep It Green: Add A Little PZEV To That Subaru!
Like CVT, which stands for continuously-variable transmission, PZEV is one of those acronyms floating around the auto world that mean nothing to most car buyers. It stands for Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle, one of a number of arcane emissions brackets created by the very aggressive California Air...
John Voelcker