Ya think?
The California Air Resources Board has pushed the envelope yet again.
The most aggressive clean air rule-making body in the country unanimously approved new regulations last week that mandate car manufacturers to cut smog emissions from new vehicles by 75 percent by 2025 and greenhouse gases by 34 percent.
To produce that level of emission reductions, CARB has set an ambitious target. The aim is that 15.4 percent of cars sold in California in 2025 will either be hybrids, which run partially on gasoline and electricity, or pure zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) powered by electric batteries or hydrogen fuel cells.
As CARB chairwoman Mary Nichols said after the vote, “This is really a historic new chapter in California’s history with the automobile.”
But the history-bending rules will do what they are designed to do – reduce pollution and cut greenhouse gases – only if the public buys the new clean cars in the volumes predicted.
That’s the big uncertainty. As they implement the new rules, regulators must do what the businesses they are regulating have to do, keep a sharp eye on the market and be prepared to pivot.
In past years automakers have sued to block CARB rules. This time, somewhat reluctantly, they supported the new rules. According to a spokeswoman for the Auto Manufacturers Association, car companies already produce 35 models of CARB-designated clean cars and they, too, want to see that market segment grow.
But market share for hybrids, electric, and fuel-cell cars is still quite small, about 2.1 percent of all sales nationwide in 2011, and that is down from 2.7 percent in 2009.
CARB rules MUST be blocked, imo, because at the end of things, CARB will stop all car production, with their ridiculous “fiats”-against reality/Physics. The consumer has already voted–they don’t want electrics and they are luke-warm on the hybrids., because they COST MORE than one can SAVE in gas! I see more and more used-car purchases, even as more electrics & hybrids are produced. I don’t think the Auto manufacturers CARE about their dealers–they just want to move “units.” It is HARD to “move” expensive electrics/hybrids, so they are NOT profitable, to the local dealer, to have them made, because the dealers will die, trying to floor-plan them, as they remain un-sold. Requiring more, as a percent of a dealer’s floor, electrics/hybrids, just puts more stress on the dealers to “move” that which customers don’t want. It’s true, used-car prices are UP,–to you & me, but we aren’t getting as much more for our trades, as the dealer will mark them up, to stay alive and selling, because the electrics and hybrids are “Sales-DOGS!” No one’s talking about this, but the dealer-organs. So CARB rules should be opposed to SAVE the retail car outlets, from which municipalities gain taxes, and jobs exist–for now. Business is booming for ’60s classic cars, because many of those, cost less to own, even as they cost more gas to drive. Ford offers a 66 Mustang as a rolling body-chassis. One can then put a more efficient modern engine, double the gas milage, and double the “fun-factor” and NOT have to “sweat” emissions inspections–a significant tyranny…of car ownership.
I can tell you’ve been to Sam’s Club shopping for commas.
I wonder if California will also bring back tire inflation standards? I can see it now. CARB tire pressure checkpoints. If your tire pressure isn’t within 10% of manufactures specs you get a BIG fine and/or jail time.
CARB, California, please, please keep up the good work. We in Texas will take all those jobs you wish to shed.
Don’t laugh. CA may be solving its overpopulation problems. Only the rich can afford to live there. The poor move to other states