Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

‘Unpopular car’ problem? Carmakers’ lobby groups fight California Zero-Emission Vehicle mandate

Stephen Edelstein
By

Fiat 500e by a bridgeIn January, California lawmakers passed legislation requiring carmakers to sell 1.4 million plug-in hybrid, battery-electric (EV) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the Golden State by 2025. Now, the car companies are asking the EPA to intervene and change the requirements.

According to Automotive News (sub. required), the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers, the two largest auto industry lobbying groups, filed a petition against the California Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

Recommended Videos

The petition says that the carmakers represented by the two groups supported the upcoming federal 54.5 mpg CAFE mandate, but that they want the EPA to tell California to change its rule.

Related

The carmakers say that, even if they built enough vehicles to satisfy the mandate, people might not buy them.

“It is impossible to predict today whether infrastructural developments, oil prices, consumer confidence and other factors will converge such that automakers will be able to persuade buyers to choose” electric, hybrid, or hydrogen cars, the petition says.

Supporters of the ZEV mandate believe it will force carmakers to develop more efficient vehicles, which the carmakers don’t seem to dispute. In a hyperbolic example, the petition argues that the mandate could force them to build unpopular cars.

“If California were to require that one-half of an auto manufacturer’s sales in the state consist of two-door subcompact hatchbacks with 4-speed manual transmissions by 2018… that standard would not be feasible because the motoring public will not purchase that many vehicles with those characteristics.”

While most new hybrids and EVs seem more appealing than a Daewoo Lanos or Geo Metro, there have already been some examples of automakers cynically building cars just to comply with the mandate. Cars like the Fiat 500e and Scion iQ EV are too small to be practical, and won’t be widely available.

Although the California ZEV mandate won’t take effect until 2018, the carmakers are fighting it because other states are looking to follow California’s lead. With nine states poised to pass mandates of their own, carmakers would have to sell 600,000 ZEVs nationwide in 2025 to comply.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The 6 best car phone holders in 2024
Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Read more
Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD rear end side profile from driver's side with trees and a metal fence in the back.

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?
Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.

Read more