Once again, California's Zero Emission Vehicle Program is under attack.  On March 27, 2003 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will vote on amendments to revise the program, including a proposal to substantially cut automaker requirements for production of zero emission vehicles.  Under the staff proposal, automakers would only be required to produce small "demonstration" numbers of ZEVs from 2005-2008 and all requirements for producing new ZEVs would end in 2009.  This proposal would be a huge blow to the ZEV program and to air quality in California.  The ZEV program is key to reducing vehicle pollution that causes lung damage, asthma attacks and premature deaths.

General Motors and other car companies have spent the last ten years battling the ZEV mandate.  Carmakers won weakening changes to the regulation in 1996, 1998 and 2001, and most recently they won litigation last year that pushed the implementation of the mandate back two years to 2005.  Now the staff is proposing to trade away the mandate altogether in exchange for an increase in other types of advanced technology vehicles.  This would effectively end California's long term vision for transformation of the vehicle feet to zero-emitting vehicles.

Since its inception in 1990, the ZEV mandate has provided the long term vision that has spurred technology development around the world, and has resulted in successful zero-emission and near-ZEV technologies including battery electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, natural gas vehicles and super-ultra-low emission vehicles.  The mandate has proven that technology-forcing regulations really do work.   Even the car companies agree that the ZEV mandate has brought advances in clean vehicle technologies that would not have otherwise occurred.  Without the long term goal provided by the ZEV mandate, there will be no strong incentives to advance an array of clean vehicle technologies that can help us achieve cleaner air.

Please urge CARB to make the car companies live up to their commitments to produce zero emission vehicles and not reward them for their strategy of endless delay and litigation against the ZEV program.  Support the ZEV program for clean, healthy air in California!