Predictions about the effect of vehicle standards are older than the Model T.
Henry Ford and Horace Dodge sued in 1904 to stop a vehicle registration law that they said gave an unfair advantage to the horse-drawn carriage.
Fast forward to 1973, when GM warned that extending California-style emissions requirements to the rest of the nation raised “the prospect of an unreasonable risk of business catastrophe and massive difficulties with these vehicles in the hands of the public.” And yet, since then, vehicle ownership in America has expanded and become increasingly affordable.
So don’t be surprised by any echoes of the past, as California gets ready to update its clean vehicles program.
The California Air Resources Board, or CARB, is about to consider the most significant improvements to the state’s zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) program since it was created. If adopted later this month, California will be on track so that, by 2050, 87 percent of passenger cars on our roads will be powered by batteries or fuel cells.
Far from being a burden on business, California’s early embrace of cleaner cars gave the state a leg up on everyone else. By sparking the state’s innovative spirit, it is encouraging companies such as ours to lay down roots and employ people here.
Brand-new companies are manufacturing or assembling zero emission vehicles right here in California. Others are cost-effectively creating energy rich batteries for our favorite mobile devices today, such as iPhones and iPads, that will drive an automobile at highway speeds for much longer distances tomorrow. Still more are making vehicle charging convenient, affordable and user-friendly — at home and on the go.
By continuing its policy leadership on zero emission vehicles, California will give companies and their investors the confidence they need to build a modern transportation ecosystem. A study by the independent research group Next 10 found that California’s electric vehicle industry grew 142 percent since 1995. In 2010, venture capitalists invested $840 million in the state’s electric vehicle companies — 60 percent of the global venture capital total.
Programs like ZEV allow many solutions to flourish and let the free market decide what wins. What could be more American?
CARB has shown great foresight throughout the years, leading the way for emission standards nationwide. Now that much of the nation has adopted standards like those California pioneered 15 years ago, the best way to keep California’s edge on electric vehicle innovation is by renewing the state’s commitment to zero emission vehicles and challenging the innovators to meet strong new goals. We are at our best when we lead.
If CARB moves forward, the payoff for the Bay Area will be huge. Automakers already look to Silicon Valley’s tech-savvy workforce to develop their electric vehicles, develop the next generation of batteries and install sophisticated networks of smart-charging infrastructure. By raising the bar for the nation, California gives companies and their investors the confidence to accelerate efforts such as these.
In addition, California consumers are making it clear they want cleaner vehicles. A July survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 84 percent of state residents favor requiring automakers to significantly improve fuel economy. Sixty-eight percent of Californians say they have seriously considered purchasing a more fuel-efficient car the next time they buy.
California is well-positioned today to lead our nation and the world to a clean vehicle future.
Making sure California maintains a strong commitment to zero emission vehicles is more than just good for the environment; it’s good for the economy too.
Vijendra Sahi is vice president of corporate development and government affairs at Nanosys, a Palo Alto company pioneering technologies to improve battery performance. Alana Chavez-Langdon is vice president of government relations and regulatory affairs at ECOtality, a San Francisco company that deploys electric charging systems. They wrote this for this newspaper.