California clean-vehicle goals may be cut

SACRAMENTO March 27, 2008; Samantha Young writing for the AP reported that California air regulators on Thursday were considering a major cutback to the state's clean-vehicle program, a move that would delay a large deployment of battery-powdered and hydrogen vehicles.

The decision also will affect efforts to promote zero-emission vehicles in 12 other states.

The proposal before the California Air Resources Board is a tricky one for a state that has pledged to lead the country in combating global warming and force automakers to build less-polluting vehicles.

While regulators say vehicle emissions must be slashed in a state with a long history of air pollution, automakers say the rules are too ambitious. They say they don't have the technology to mass-produce zero-emission vehicles, at least ones that are affordable.

"Our goal here today is to emerge with a whole new direction that will get this program on track," air board chairwoman Mary Nichols said. "Our goal is to have California's vehicle program to be the test-bed and California be the state where manufacturers first bring their best, cleanest technology."

The proposal before the board would cut by 90 percent the number of battery-powered and hydrogen cars sold in California and 12 other states by 2014. During Thursday's hearing, however, several board members said the cut was not likely to be that steep.

The plan has drawn criticism from environmentalists, health advocates and some leading political figures who questioned

whether the state can afford to relax the rules on automakers in the era of global warming and rising gasoline prices.

Auto manufacturers said they need more time to make affordable hydrogen and battery-powered cars.

"Pushing this technology into the market before they are commercially viable ties up resources that could be better utilized by advancing core technologies," said Sara Rudy, an emissions regulatory manager at Ford. "It is important at this stage to be nimble."

California adopted its zero-emission vehicle mandate in 1990 as part of an attempt to reduce smog-forming emissions such as nitrogen oxide. The rule required that 10 percent of new cars sold in the state by the country's six leading auto manufacturers be completely nonpolluting by 2003.

The rules have been modified four times since they were introduced. The biggest change came in 2003, when the Air Resources Board significantly scaled back the mandate and ruled that hydrogen cars, hybrids and cleaner-burning gasoline vehicles could meet the state's goals.

The regulators were concerned that battery-powered cars could not be mass-produced and favored hydrogen cars. They also happened to be facing a lawsuit from the auto industry.