We need to urge Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the CARB Board, and members of the California State Legislature to close a gaping loophole that could deal a blow to the long-term proliferation of plug-in vehicles, just as we are starting to see real volume production. CARB Board Chair Mary Nichols negotiated a special deal which would dramatically weaken the ZEV program allowing automakers that ‘overcomply’ with the new Federal GHG standards so they get away with producing less EVs. This sweetheart deal allows an automaker to cut the number of pure electric-drive vehicles by as much as 50% over the 2018 to 2021 timeframe in exchange for just 2 g/ mile GHG overcompliance during that time. This is a bad deal for California and for the United States!
Action Page | Plug In America
Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota lobbied for this change just so they don't have to make as many electric cars. In fact you can already see the results with Honda and Toyota indicating that they will only produce enough "compliance" cars for California in the short term: just 1300 electric Honda Fits and only 2600 new RAV4EVs from Toyota. Even the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has stated “this proposal would allow certain manufacturers to eliminate a significant portion of their ZEV requirements, it would undermine this level playing field, giving such manufacturers a significant competitive advantage.”
Action Page | Plug In America
These automakers are once again trying to game the system. We can't let them do this, especially as we see the great progress made by Nissan, GM, Ford, Tesla, Coda, and other OEMs truly committed to building a real sustainable business around electric vehicles.
Please tell Ms. Nichols and the CARB Board that they must close this loophole and not approve the overcompliance provision, so that California can continue to drive high volume plug-in vehicles and we don't further weaken the ZEV mandate.
Action Page | Plug In America
Clicking the link below will help keep real electric vehicles on the road that consumers can buy them for the long term!
Action Page | Plug In America
Help leverage the success of California to solve the climate crisis and make the switch to clean, affordable, domestic electricity for transportation. California will pave the way for reductions in vehicle emissions all over this country and guide the industry to a cleaner and reinvigorated future.
Please tell CARB and California legislators today that you support action to close this unnecessary loophole.
