Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulations

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) requires that automakers take one of two paths to introduce certain percentages of zero-emission and other extremely clean vehicles each year. One of the compliance paths allows automakers to use fuel cell vehicles to meet part of the requirements.

These regulations stem from the original zero-emission vehicle program passed by the ARB in 1990. Under the program, automakers placed more than 4,000 battery-powered zero-emission vehicles on California’s roads over a five-year period (1998-2003).

Although the clean-fuel vehicle requirements have changed over the years, they have spurred exciting developments in areas like hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid-electric and fuel cell technology that show tremendous promise for the future of transportation in the “Golden State.”

To learn more about the ARB’s zero-emission vehicle program, visit www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/zevprog.htm. 

Additional Air Quality Regulations/Voluntary Programs

According to the ARB, meeting federal and state air quality standards for clean, healthy air will require a 50% reduction from today’s emission levels. The ARB indicates 30% of that must come from future regulatory, incentive and market-based measures.

Specific ARB regulations in place today include:

• In areas of California that don’t meet certain air quality standards, all golf carts must have zero emissions – meaning they must be electric, and 
• By 2008, 15% of new buses marketed must produce zero emissions.

In addition, California’s current State Implementation Plan includes many emission control measures, and highlights the role that various electro-drive technologies – like forklifts, lawn and garden equipment, truck stop electrification and more – can play in improving the air Californians breathe.

Public and private agencies in California also are taking proactive steps to reduce emissions. For example, airports and airlines in Southern California are lessening air pollution voluntarily through the continuing introduction of electric and other alternative-fueled ground support equipment.

For more details on California’s State Implementation Plan, visit www.arb.ca.gov/planning/sip/sip.htm, and to learn more about the ARB’s Off-Road Mobile Sources Emission Reduction Program, go to www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/offroad.htm.

Incentives

From income tax credits, to purchase incentives, to special carpool lane access, to free parking, a number of incentives are available to encourage the use of electro-drive technologies by consumers, businesses and government agencies. For a rundown of current incentives, check out www.driveclean.ca.gov.

In addition, local air quality management and air pollution control districts may offer funding incentives to businesses, government agencies and other organizations for using electro-drive vehicles like shuttles, forklifts and others, plus for installing electro-drive infrastructure.

To find out more about Southern California programs, visit the websites of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (www.aqmd.gov) and the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (www.cleantransportationfunding.org/).

Greenhouse Gas Regulations

To help address concerns over transportation’s contributions to climate change, in 2004 the ARB approved a landmark regulation that requires automakers to begin selling vehicles with reduced greenhouse gas emissions by model year 2009.

ARB data indicates that the fully phased-in near-term standards (2009-2012) will result in about a 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 2002 fleet, while the mid-term standards (2013-2016) will result in about a 30% reduction. ARB data also shows that higher initial vehicle costs will be more than offset by operational cost savings.

The state also leads the way in working on global warming reductions while generating new jobs and attracting new investment. In 2006, the State of California and the United Kingdom signed a groundbreaking agreement to become partners in addressing climate change and promoting energy diversity – with a focus on evaluating and implementing market-based mechanisms that spur innovation.

The California Legislature also passed an historic bill to cap greenhouse emissions, with the end result of reducing emissions 25% by 2020. Economic studies and state agency reports indicate this reduction will save California families and businesses billions of dollars while creating tens of thousands of new jobs. 

To learn more about California’s efforts to address global warming, visit the California Climate Change Portal at www.climatechange.ca.gov/.

California Hydrogen Highway Network

Looking to catalyze a transition to a clean, sustainable hydrogen transportation economy, the California Hydrogen Highway Network Initiative is working on developing a statewide hydrogen infrastructure and accelerating hydrogen-powered vehicle introduction. The network focuses on accomplishing this in a way that ensures maximum benefits to California’s economy, environment and energy security.

As an initial key step, a Hydrogen Highway Implementation Panel, with SCE input, developed a blueprint plan through a public-private sector collaborative process. Members of SCE’s Electric Transportation Department continue to serve on several topic teams to address key implementation issues.

Details on the California Hydrogen Highway Network are available at http://hydrogenhighway.ca.gov/. To learn more about California’s efforts to support the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and infrastructure, visit the websites of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (www.cafcp.org) and the California Hydrogen Business Council (www.californiahydrogen.org/).