Hybrid Car Review

A lot of environmentalist groups and news media have criticized the recent move by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to cut back it's mandate to only 7,500 electric or fuel cell vehicles. But Google.org has posted a first response to the board's decision that comes out in favor of the new rules.

Source: RechargeIT Blog: California Air Resources Board Hearing on the ZEV Program

This post is just a first response to last week's hearing - please look for more information as we continue to sort out the details. Google.org is largely supportive of CARB's decision. CARB was right in increasing the floor of pure ZEVs -- battery electric and fuel cell vehicles -- compared to the Staff recommendations, by adding plug-in hybrids to to mix, and by revamping the entire ZEV Program. Next year CARB plans to vote on simplifying the ZEV program to focus it on pure ZEVs and plug-in hybrids for the 2015 model year and beyond, while moving the maturing technologies of regular hybrids and PZEVs to the Pavley II and LEV III programs.


The Outcome (in brief)
1. Decrease number of ZEVs by 70% to 7,500
2. Create a new category for PHEVs with 10 mile all electric range and require automakers sell 58,333
3. Create automaker credit transparency
4. Travel provision modifications made; we are not sure what they are yet
5. Overhaul ZEV Program after 2014

The RechargeIT program from google.org is studying plug-in vehicle technology, and given the mandate for plug-in cars, perhaps it's not surprising to see them coming out in favor of the new rules for selling vehicles in California.