Volt and Leaf Fail to Topple Honda Civic GX From Green Book List

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington-based nonprofit group financed by foundations, electric utilities and state and federal agencies, released its annual list of the 12 greenest vehicles of the model year on Tuesday. With five models having displaced 2010 honorees, this year’s list differs markedly from last year’s group.

With the Nissan Leaf electric car and Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid now being delivered in the United States, one would think they would duke it out on the group’s list for top honors, too. Not so.

The Leaf earned second place in this, the council’s 14th Green Book annual ranking. As for the Volt? It managed a 12th-place finish, while topping the list for the eighth consecutive year was the Honda Civic GX — a limited-production model that burns compressed natural gas and that was expected to be available for retail sales nationwide in 2012.

In between are conventional hybrids and vehicles with old-fashioned gasoline-combusting engines. In fact, six of the vehicles on the list use only internal-combustion engines.

How can this be? The council uses a novel, holistic method of calculating the slippery notion of greenness, one that owes little to fuel-efficiency or tailpipe-emissions considerations made by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“We consider not just what emissions are coming out of the tailpipe while the vehicle is running,” said Therese Langer, the group’s transportation director, in a telephone interview. “The E.P.A. would consider the Leaf a zero-emissions vehicle because electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions,” she said.

The so-called upstream emissions of an electric vehicle, however, can be substantial, she said, depending on where and how its electricity is generated. Electricity produced hydroelectrically, for example, will generally produce far lower carbon emissions than energy produced by burning coal.

But the council methodology also includes emissions associated with the generation of the electricity used to power a battery; the production of raw materials like steel and aluminum — and in an E.V.’s case, a lithium-ion battery unit; and its eventual disposal.

This was the first year in which the group incorporated emissions data associated with battery manufacture and disposal, for which it used the GREET model created by Argonne National Laboratory, an Energy Department lab. This explains why hybrids, which rely on power generated by electric motors and stored in batteries, claimed just three of the top 12 spots this year, compared with five in 2010.

The 12 greenest vehicles for 2011, from top to bottom, are:
• Honda Civic GX
• Nissan Leaf
• Smart Fortwo cabriolet and coupe
• Toyota Prius
• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Honda Insight
• Ford Fiesta SFE
• Chevrolet Cruze Eco
• Hyundai Elantra
• Mini Cooper
• Toyota Yaris
• Chevrolet Volt

For more information and the listings of the “Greenest” and “Meanest,” as well as best-in-class lists from the council, visit its Greenercars.org Web site.

Source;
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/volt-and-leaf-fail-to-topple-honda-civic-gx-from-green-book-list/

Volt and Leaf Fail to Topple Honda Civic GX From Green Book List

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington-based nonprofit group financed by foundations, electric utilities and state and federal agencies, released its annual list of the 12 greenest vehicles of the model year on Tuesday. With five models having displaced 2010 honorees, this year’s list differs markedly from last year’s group.

With the Nissan Leaf electric car and Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid now being delivered in the United States, one would think they would duke it out on the group’s list for top honors, too. Not so.

The Leaf earned second place in this, the council’s 14th Green Book annual ranking. As for the Volt? It managed a 12th-place finish, while topping the list for the eighth consecutive year was the Honda Civic GX — a limited-production model that burns compressed natural gas and that was expected to be available for retail sales nationwide in 2012.

In between are conventional hybrids and vehicles with old-fashioned gasoline-combusting engines. In fact, six of the vehicles on the list use only internal-combustion engines.

How can this be? The council uses a novel, holistic method of calculating the slippery notion of greenness, one that owes little to fuel-efficiency or tailpipe-emissions considerations made by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“We consider not just what emissions are coming out of the tailpipe while the vehicle is running,” said Therese Langer, the group’s transportation director, in a telephone interview. “The E.P.A. would consider the Leaf a zero-emissions vehicle because electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions,” she said.

The so-called upstream emissions of an electric vehicle, however, can be substantial, she said, depending on where and how its electricity is generated. Electricity produced hydroelectrically, for example, will generally produce far lower carbon emissions than energy produced by burning coal.

But the council methodology also includes emissions associated with the generation of the electricity used to power a battery; the production of raw materials like steel and aluminum — and in an E.V.’s case, a lithium-ion battery unit; and its eventual disposal.

This was the first year in which the group incorporated emissions data associated with battery manufacture and disposal, for which it used the GREET model created by Argonne National Laboratory, an Energy Department lab. This explains why hybrids, which rely on power generated by electric motors and stored in batteries, claimed just three of the top 12 spots this year, compared with five in 2010.

The 12 greenest vehicles for 2011, from top to bottom, are:
• Honda Civic GX
• Nissan Leaf
• Smart Fortwo cabriolet and coupe
• Toyota Prius
• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Honda Insight
• Ford Fiesta SFE
• Chevrolet Cruze Eco
• Hyundai Elantra
• Mini Cooper
• Toyota Yaris
• Chevrolet Volt

For more information and the listings of the “Greenest” and “Meanest,” as well as best-in-class lists from the council, visit its Greenercars.org Web site.

Source;
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/volt-and-leaf-fail-to-topple-honda-civic-gx-from-green-book-list/

Canadian Driver: First Drive: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

I am very curious to see how the Volt will perform in a winter, this is a great read....
Review and photos by Grant Yoxon

Detroit, Michigan – While driving silently through Detroit on a cold day in January, I am reminded of a comic book quote from my childhood, “It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Superman!”
In this case, the Chevrolet Volt is neither a bird nor a plane. It is not a hybrid, although it does have both an electric drive unit and a gasoline engine. But it is not a battery electric vehicle either because it does have that gasoline engine on board.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended range, meaning it is propelled by an all-electric drive unit, but with the assistance of a gasoline engine that generates electricity for the electric drive system, can be driven without a recharge or fill up for up to 610 kilometres. Amongst electric vehicles, it truly is Superman.

The Chevrolet Volt is powered by GM’s unique Voltec propulsion system which, in simple terms (for a more detailed explanation, see the accompanying feature, “Deeper into the technology: the Voltec electric drive system”) consists of a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 149-hp electric drive unit that propels the car exclusively on electricity for up to 80 kilometres, depending on terrain, driving style and climate. When the car’s battery reaches a minimum charge, a 1.4-litre gasoline engine starts up to maintain the minimum charge of the battery enabling the Volt to continue on its way for an additional 530 kilometres, give or take.

On this blustery winter day, we drove approximately 40 kilometres before the driving mode graphic in the driver’s display indicated we had switched from pure electric to extended driving range mode. Not until we came to a stop light, however, did we hear the engine.

Once tuned into the sound of the engine, you realize that it seems to operate with a life of its own. Unlike a gasoline powered car or a hybrid, the rise and fall of the engine speed is not related to the action of your right foot. RPMs increase or decrease according to the needs of the battery pack. It is an unusual feeling to be sitting at the same stop light and hear the engine accelerate while the car is sitting still!

While driving exclusively in electric mode, the driver’s display indicates that we are achieving 250+ miles per gallon (the display can be easily switched to metric) or infinity in other words, but once the car switches to extended driving mode, the fuel consumption figure begins to drop. Over a full 610 kilometre drive, it is expected that the Volt will achieve, according to the US EPA, 37 mpg (6.3 L/100 km) in extended range mode and 60 mpg (3.9 L/100 km) in combined electric and extended range modes. However, if used locally and charged regularly, the Volt will use little to no fuel at all.

The Volt can be charged using either a household 120-volt plug in or a dedicated 240-volt charging station. The Volt comes equipped for the former with a 20-foot charging cord stowed in the back. Charging time takes 10-12 hours on 120V, but only four hours on 240V. Owners can schedule immediate charging or coordinate the charging for their departure time or to take advantage of lower-cost off-peak electric rates. If the vehicle is plugged in, recharging can be controlled remotely using an OnStar mobile app for iPhones and Android smart phones or by accessing an application at MyVolt.com.

While the Volt may not be range limited, our time in the Volt was, with about an hour and a half inside the car, so naturally our driving impressions are somewhat limited. Our drive took us on Detroit’s freeways and suburban streets on our way to GM’s Hamtramck Assembly Plant where the Volt is built along side the Cadillac STS and the Buick Lucerne (although it shares nothing in common with these two).

The Volt has three drive modes – ‘normal’, ‘sport’ and ‘mountain’. The latter, which limits electric range and maximum drive output – the Volt has a maximum speed of about 160 km/h – ensures the Volt has the power to drive up sustained grades. ‘Sport’ mode reconfigures the accelerator settings to provide quicker accelerator response, with zero to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) estimated to be less than nine seconds. Although maximum output is unaffected, the Volt feels more powerful and accelerates quicker. Call this the ‘fun’ mode.

The transmission has a ‘low’ setting, which is not low in the conventional sense of selecting a lower gear for descending steep grades. It is no different than the normal ‘drive’ setting with one exception – regenerative braking, where electrical power is captured and stored in the battery, is dramatically increased. The car decelerates rapidly when the accelerator is released. When combined with ‘sport’ mode, it is the perfect combination for stop-and-go driving.

On the freeways and streets we drove on, the Volt performed no differently, although much more quietly, than any other mid-sized sedan. Power is excellent, although, the more rapidly you accelerate, the more quickly the battery will deplete. Driving style is one factor that affects electric range. (kinda figured that)

The driver is presented with a full range of information and functionality displayed on two seven-inch screens, one behind the steering wheel, the other mounted on the centre stack. A full-colour, high resolution display replaces the speedometer and other gauges found in conventional vehicles and provides information on the battery state of charge and electric range, speedometer, fuel level and extended mode range, driving efficiency, trip information, tire pressure, oil life, and vehicle system messages. The second screen is the primary interface for infotainment, climate controls and efficiency. This latter function is multi-faceted including information on energy usage and energy efficiency, power flow and charging routines. Through this screen the owner can select a charging mode – immediate, delayed departure time and delayed rate and departure time mode, in which the Volt calculates the charging start time based on utility rates, rate preference and the programmed departure time. In this mode, the Volt will charge during the least expensive rate periods.

Surrounding the centre stack screen is a variety of touch-sensitive redundant controls for infotainment and climate, selecting drive modes, programmable charge modes, power door lock and unlock and the electric parking brake actuation and release.

The Volt’s advanced technology is not simply under the hood, but evident throughout the vehicle. Touch-sensitive controls, full-colour graphic displays, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation radio with 60-GB hard drive (30 GB for music storage), AM/FM/DVD-ROM/MP3 playback capability, voice recognition, XM satellite radio with XM NavTraffic/Weather, premium energy saving Bose sound system with six speakers and sub-woofer is the kind of technology one would expect in a premium, near luxury sedan.

The Volt is equipped with standard Jet Black premium cloth seats with Ceramic White accents, but can be ordered with leather seating and heated front seats. Only two option packages are available – a rear camera and park assist package and a premium trim package consisting of leather seating, premium door trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats.

In the US, the Volt starts at $41,695, not unexpected for a premium sedan. The rear camera option is priced at $695 while the premium trim package can be added for $1,395. While the Volt is available now in select U.S. markets, it will not be released in Canada until mid-summer 2011. Canadian pricing will be announced closer to its release, but expect a base MSRP in the mid-forties.

Some may balk at that kind of pricing, but the Volt is not a compact battery electric commuter or just a well-equipped hybrid. It is an extended range electric vehicle that is also a premium sedan, one that you will use 365 days of the year, a vehicle that you will drive to work or to a city 400 miles away, that is equipped with luxury appointments and the latest information and entertainment technology as well as the only range extending electric powertrain available on the planet.

If the battery electric vehicle is the bird and the hybrid is the plane, the Volt really is Superman.

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2011/01/17/first-drive-2011-chevrolet-volt.htm?page=all

Canadian Driver: First Drive: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

I am very curious to see how the Volt will perform in a winter, this is a great read....
Review and photos by Grant Yoxon

Detroit, Michigan – While driving silently through Detroit on a cold day in January, I am reminded of a comic book quote from my childhood, “It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Superman!”
In this case, the Chevrolet Volt is neither a bird nor a plane. It is not a hybrid, although it does have both an electric drive unit and a gasoline engine. But it is not a battery electric vehicle either because it does have that gasoline engine on board.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended range, meaning it is propelled by an all-electric drive unit, but with the assistance of a gasoline engine that generates electricity for the electric drive system, can be driven without a recharge or fill up for up to 610 kilometres. Amongst electric vehicles, it truly is Superman.

The Chevrolet Volt is powered by GM’s unique Voltec propulsion system which, in simple terms (for a more detailed explanation, see the accompanying feature, “Deeper into the technology: the Voltec electric drive system”) consists of a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 149-hp electric drive unit that propels the car exclusively on electricity for up to 80 kilometres, depending on terrain, driving style and climate. When the car’s battery reaches a minimum charge, a 1.4-litre gasoline engine starts up to maintain the minimum charge of the battery enabling the Volt to continue on its way for an additional 530 kilometres, give or take.

On this blustery winter day, we drove approximately 40 kilometres before the driving mode graphic in the driver’s display indicated we had switched from pure electric to extended driving range mode. Not until we came to a stop light, however, did we hear the engine.

Once tuned into the sound of the engine, you realize that it seems to operate with a life of its own. Unlike a gasoline powered car or a hybrid, the rise and fall of the engine speed is not related to the action of your right foot. RPMs increase or decrease according to the needs of the battery pack. It is an unusual feeling to be sitting at the same stop light and hear the engine accelerate while the car is sitting still!

While driving exclusively in electric mode, the driver’s display indicates that we are achieving 250+ miles per gallon (the display can be easily switched to metric) or infinity in other words, but once the car switches to extended driving mode, the fuel consumption figure begins to drop. Over a full 610 kilometre drive, it is expected that the Volt will achieve, according to the US EPA, 37 mpg (6.3 L/100 km) in extended range mode and 60 mpg (3.9 L/100 km) in combined electric and extended range modes. However, if used locally and charged regularly, the Volt will use little to no fuel at all.

The Volt can be charged using either a household 120-volt plug in or a dedicated 240-volt charging station. The Volt comes equipped for the former with a 20-foot charging cord stowed in the back. Charging time takes 10-12 hours on 120V, but only four hours on 240V. Owners can schedule immediate charging or coordinate the charging for their departure time or to take advantage of lower-cost off-peak electric rates. If the vehicle is plugged in, recharging can be controlled remotely using an OnStar mobile app for iPhones and Android smart phones or by accessing an application at MyVolt.com.

While the Volt may not be range limited, our time in the Volt was, with about an hour and a half inside the car, so naturally our driving impressions are somewhat limited. Our drive took us on Detroit’s freeways and suburban streets on our way to GM’s Hamtramck Assembly Plant where the Volt is built along side the Cadillac STS and the Buick Lucerne (although it shares nothing in common with these two).

The Volt has three drive modes – ‘normal’, ‘sport’ and ‘mountain’. The latter, which limits electric range and maximum drive output – the Volt has a maximum speed of about 160 km/h – ensures the Volt has the power to drive up sustained grades. ‘Sport’ mode reconfigures the accelerator settings to provide quicker accelerator response, with zero to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) estimated to be less than nine seconds. Although maximum output is unaffected, the Volt feels more powerful and accelerates quicker. Call this the ‘fun’ mode.

The transmission has a ‘low’ setting, which is not low in the conventional sense of selecting a lower gear for descending steep grades. It is no different than the normal ‘drive’ setting with one exception – regenerative braking, where electrical power is captured and stored in the battery, is dramatically increased. The car decelerates rapidly when the accelerator is released. When combined with ‘sport’ mode, it is the perfect combination for stop-and-go driving.

On the freeways and streets we drove on, the Volt performed no differently, although much more quietly, than any other mid-sized sedan. Power is excellent, although, the more rapidly you accelerate, the more quickly the battery will deplete. Driving style is one factor that affects electric range. (kinda figured that)

The driver is presented with a full range of information and functionality displayed on two seven-inch screens, one behind the steering wheel, the other mounted on the centre stack. A full-colour, high resolution display replaces the speedometer and other gauges found in conventional vehicles and provides information on the battery state of charge and electric range, speedometer, fuel level and extended mode range, driving efficiency, trip information, tire pressure, oil life, and vehicle system messages. The second screen is the primary interface for infotainment, climate controls and efficiency. This latter function is multi-faceted including information on energy usage and energy efficiency, power flow and charging routines. Through this screen the owner can select a charging mode – immediate, delayed departure time and delayed rate and departure time mode, in which the Volt calculates the charging start time based on utility rates, rate preference and the programmed departure time. In this mode, the Volt will charge during the least expensive rate periods.

Surrounding the centre stack screen is a variety of touch-sensitive redundant controls for infotainment and climate, selecting drive modes, programmable charge modes, power door lock and unlock and the electric parking brake actuation and release.

The Volt’s advanced technology is not simply under the hood, but evident throughout the vehicle. Touch-sensitive controls, full-colour graphic displays, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation radio with 60-GB hard drive (30 GB for music storage), AM/FM/DVD-ROM/MP3 playback capability, voice recognition, XM satellite radio with XM NavTraffic/Weather, premium energy saving Bose sound system with six speakers and sub-woofer is the kind of technology one would expect in a premium, near luxury sedan.

The Volt is equipped with standard Jet Black premium cloth seats with Ceramic White accents, but can be ordered with leather seating and heated front seats. Only two option packages are available – a rear camera and park assist package and a premium trim package consisting of leather seating, premium door trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats.

In the US, the Volt starts at $41,695, not unexpected for a premium sedan. The rear camera option is priced at $695 while the premium trim package can be added for $1,395. While the Volt is available now in select U.S. markets, it will not be released in Canada until mid-summer 2011. Canadian pricing will be announced closer to its release, but expect a base MSRP in the mid-forties.

Some may balk at that kind of pricing, but the Volt is not a compact battery electric commuter or just a well-equipped hybrid. It is an extended range electric vehicle that is also a premium sedan, one that you will use 365 days of the year, a vehicle that you will drive to work or to a city 400 miles away, that is equipped with luxury appointments and the latest information and entertainment technology as well as the only range extending electric powertrain available on the planet.

If the battery electric vehicle is the bird and the hybrid is the plane, the Volt really is Superman.

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2011/01/17/first-drive-2011-chevrolet-volt.htm?page=all

Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulations Get Tougher for 2012 - Feature

Here's an interesting read....
California Dreaming: The new CARB diet.
BY KEITH BARRY, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORGAN SEGAL, ROY RITCHIE, AND THE MANUFACTURERS, ILLUSTRATION BY SEAN MCCABE January 2011

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is trying to use a version of a “cap-and-trade” policy to stimulate automakers to build Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs). CARB has mandated that starting in 2012, major automakers will have to produce a certain number of ZEVs. If an automaker can’t build enough to satisfy the regulation, it will be able to purchase credits from those that make more ZEVs than are required, thus covering its own shortfall. While it may sound onerous, it may also sound familiar—the latest ZEV mandate grew out of more than 20 years of CARB regulations. And during that time, CARB learned that the government can’t force engineers to build new technology, just as automakers learned how to use the regulatory process for their own good.

A Mandate With Destiny

Two decades ago, gas was cheap and electric-car technology had languished since the early-Eighties fuel crisis. Aside from a niche market of environmentalists and early adopters, the general public wasn’t interested in a car with a limited range and a high MSRP. Still, California had a pollution problem, and CARB, somewhat speciously, sought to reduce smog by encouraging automakers to build tiny volumes of  ZEVs. In 1990, CARB announced that it would require that ZEVs make up two percent of every automaker’s fleet by 1998, increasing to 10 percent by 2003. As the technology advanced, went the rationale, costs would come down and ZEVs would gain widespread acceptance. Automakers balked, arguing that it was impossible to build that many commercially viable ZEVs in eight years. CARB and automakers spent the better part of  the ’90s in court.

A compromise came in 2003 when CARB replaced the strict mandate with incentives for manufacturers to build ZEVs. Automakers that sold cars in California now had to earn a certain amount of yearly credits by building low-emission vehicles lest they incur fines. By 2008, 10 other states that follow CARB regulations (Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont) had adopted the incentive-based ZEV mandate.

Automakers earned full credits by building ZEVs and partial credits for hybrids and gas-powered Ultra Low-Emission Vehicles (ULEVs). If an automaker couldn’t earn enough credits with its own product, it could buy credits from a company with an excess of credits, essentially subsidizing the creation of ZEV technology without assuming the risk of developing it in-house. Carmakers that didn’t comply could be fined $5000 per credit not produced, though CARB has yet to levy a penalty. For the past seven years, most manufacturers met the mandate with a mix of hybrids and gas-burning ULEVs, plus a few hydrogen fuel-cell or electric cars. Automakers negotiated the buying and selling price of credits on their own, reporting sales to CARB after the fact.

Cutting Carbs

Starting in 2012, CARB regulations get stricter, requiring large-volume automakers that sell more than 10,000 vehicles in California yearly—currently Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, GM, and Chrysler—to produce among them a total of 7500 ZEVs between 2012 and 2014, a figure that rises to 25,000 for the 2015-to-2017 time frame. Also starting in 2012, each individual automaker must earn a certain number of ZEV credits depending on its sales numbers. A percentage of those ZEV credits must be “pure,” or earned solely from the sale of ZEVs and not from selling hybrids or gas-burning ULEVs. Automakers that don’t sell that many ZEVs must buy “pure” ZEV credits from other manufacturers. Credits expire after three years.
“We want people to earn credits and use them,” says Anna Gromis-Wong, an air-pollution specialist at CARB. “We want to get out of a demonstration phase.”

Currently, only all-electric vehicles such as the Tesla Roadster and the upcoming Nissan Leaf—plus hydrogen fuel-cell cars such as Honda’s FCX Clarity and Mercedes-Benz’s F-cell—meet the ZEV regulation. The much-touted Chevy Volt doesn’t count as a ZEV because it has an onboard internal-combustion engine. Carmakers seem to be tolerant of the new regulations. Whether it’s to reduce airborne pollutants, cut greenhouse-gas emissions, or wean Americans from foreign oil, it seems that this time around—like it or not—ZEVs are here to stay.

For the rest of the article with pic's, follow the link;
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/11q1/zero-emission_vehicle_regulations_get_tougher_for_2012-feature

Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulations Get Tougher for 2012 - Feature

Here's an interesting read....
California Dreaming: The new CARB diet.
BY KEITH BARRY, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORGAN SEGAL, ROY RITCHIE, AND THE MANUFACTURERS, ILLUSTRATION BY SEAN MCCABE January 2011

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is trying to use a version of a “cap-and-trade” policy to stimulate automakers to build Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs). CARB has mandated that starting in 2012, major automakers will have to produce a certain number of ZEVs. If an automaker can’t build enough to satisfy the regulation, it will be able to purchase credits from those that make more ZEVs than are required, thus covering its own shortfall. While it may sound onerous, it may also sound familiar—the latest ZEV mandate grew out of more than 20 years of CARB regulations. And during that time, CARB learned that the government can’t force engineers to build new technology, just as automakers learned how to use the regulatory process for their own good.

A Mandate With Destiny

Two decades ago, gas was cheap and electric-car technology had languished since the early-Eighties fuel crisis. Aside from a niche market of environmentalists and early adopters, the general public wasn’t interested in a car with a limited range and a high MSRP. Still, California had a pollution problem, and CARB, somewhat speciously, sought to reduce smog by encouraging automakers to build tiny volumes of  ZEVs. In 1990, CARB announced that it would require that ZEVs make up two percent of every automaker’s fleet by 1998, increasing to 10 percent by 2003. As the technology advanced, went the rationale, costs would come down and ZEVs would gain widespread acceptance. Automakers balked, arguing that it was impossible to build that many commercially viable ZEVs in eight years. CARB and automakers spent the better part of  the ’90s in court.

A compromise came in 2003 when CARB replaced the strict mandate with incentives for manufacturers to build ZEVs. Automakers that sold cars in California now had to earn a certain amount of yearly credits by building low-emission vehicles lest they incur fines. By 2008, 10 other states that follow CARB regulations (Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont) had adopted the incentive-based ZEV mandate.

Automakers earned full credits by building ZEVs and partial credits for hybrids and gas-powered Ultra Low-Emission Vehicles (ULEVs). If an automaker couldn’t earn enough credits with its own product, it could buy credits from a company with an excess of credits, essentially subsidizing the creation of ZEV technology without assuming the risk of developing it in-house. Carmakers that didn’t comply could be fined $5000 per credit not produced, though CARB has yet to levy a penalty. For the past seven years, most manufacturers met the mandate with a mix of hybrids and gas-burning ULEVs, plus a few hydrogen fuel-cell or electric cars. Automakers negotiated the buying and selling price of credits on their own, reporting sales to CARB after the fact.

Cutting Carbs

Starting in 2012, CARB regulations get stricter, requiring large-volume automakers that sell more than 10,000 vehicles in California yearly—currently Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, GM, and Chrysler—to produce among them a total of 7500 ZEVs between 2012 and 2014, a figure that rises to 25,000 for the 2015-to-2017 time frame. Also starting in 2012, each individual automaker must earn a certain number of ZEV credits depending on its sales numbers. A percentage of those ZEV credits must be “pure,” or earned solely from the sale of ZEVs and not from selling hybrids or gas-burning ULEVs. Automakers that don’t sell that many ZEVs must buy “pure” ZEV credits from other manufacturers. Credits expire after three years.
“We want people to earn credits and use them,” says Anna Gromis-Wong, an air-pollution specialist at CARB. “We want to get out of a demonstration phase.”

Currently, only all-electric vehicles such as the Tesla Roadster and the upcoming Nissan Leaf—plus hydrogen fuel-cell cars such as Honda’s FCX Clarity and Mercedes-Benz’s F-cell—meet the ZEV regulation. The much-touted Chevy Volt doesn’t count as a ZEV because it has an onboard internal-combustion engine. Carmakers seem to be tolerant of the new regulations. Whether it’s to reduce airborne pollutants, cut greenhouse-gas emissions, or wean Americans from foreign oil, it seems that this time around—like it or not—ZEVs are here to stay.

For the rest of the article with pic's, follow the link;
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/11q1/zero-emission_vehicle_regulations_get_tougher_for_2012-feature