Comment Log Display

Eighteen years ago, the California Air Resource Board (CARB)
adopted the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, a groundbreaking
requirement resulting in nearly 5,000 zero emissions cars placed
on our roads.  These are cars that emit no smog-forming,
cancer-causing, or greenhouse gas effect-producing pollutants!
Many of these cars are still driving today, undeniable proof that
plug-in battery-electric cars can work: decades-old technology was
able to produce cost-effective, reliable, functional cars that both
residents and fleet customers wanted to use. 

We all know what happened next: CARB caved to political pressure
and the threat of lawsuit, allowing auto manufacturers to
dismantle their viable electric vehicle programs, shred their
waiting lists for new electric vehicles, and repossess their
leased vehicles.  Most of the repossessed vehicles were needlessly
destroyed in an unfortunate attempt to obliterate any record these
vehicles worked.  CARB allowed automakers to continue to poison
our environment and chain future generations to continued oil
addiction with over-promoted yet profitable gas-guzzling SUVs,
without requiring a single pure zero emissions vehicle to be
placed on the road as mitigation.

On March 27, CARB will consider staff-proposed revisions to the
ZEV program that unfortunately allow automakers to continue to get
away with murder.  Twenty years after the mandate was initially
adopted, CARB will only require automakers to produce half as many
truly zero emissions vehicles – 2,500 – as were developed in
response to the original mandate.  This doesn’t make any sense –
battery technology has only advanced, several automakers have
already announced plans for plug in hybrid electric vehicles
capable of pure electric mode, and a number of start-up companies
are developing advanced battery electrics such as Tesla, ZAP,
Phoenix MotorCars, Aptera, Th!nk, and countless others.  Since
then California’s population has increased over 25%, putting more
cars on our roads.  Why roll back requirements when we need to be
boldly driving forward?  

Therefore, we request that CARB adopt the following revisions to
the staff proposal:
Ø	Retain the requirement for automakers to produce no less than
25,000 truly zero emissions vehicles by 2012
Ø	Create additional incentives for start up companies developing
battery electric vehicles, including streamlined permitting,
grants and loans, etc.
Ø	Revise the rules for Neighborhood Electric Vehicles to allow a
35 mph top speed.  This minor change can significantly increase
the demand for such vehicles and make these vehicles more useful
for average residents.