The Suits Are Picking on the Bill

Auto industry loses suit to sink California vehicle emissions standards

Posted at 9:53 AM on 26 Jun 2008

A federal judge has struck down the auto industry's attempt to gut California's greenhouse-gas emissions standards for vehicles. California's law, which would cut vehicle emissions by some 30 percent by 2016, has been stalled due to the U.S. EPA's denial of a waiver the state needs to implement it. However, the industry lawsuit sought to stop the emissions-reduction law from taking effect even if a new federal administration eventually granted the waiver. The auto industry has complained that the California rules would be far too expensive and would essentially create different fuel-economy rules for California and the 15 other states that intend to follow its lead. Some of the legal arguments that industry lawyers employed in the case earned particular scorn from the judge, who said of their suggested interpretation of a federal statue, "The interpretation requested is without support in law, logic, or grammar." Ouch!

source: Los Angeles Times

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Comments: (2 comments)

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Ne Plus Ultra (Capacitors) == 150 mpg

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-9849660-48.html

AFS Trinity Power Corporation showed off its plug-in hybrid SUV, the XH-150, at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The car's power train represents a refinement of the hybrid concept by employing ultra-capacitors for fast acceleration under electric power.

by jabailo at 6:02 PM on 26 Jun 2008

Uh huh...

...and if they were really as enthusiastic 'bout clean tech as jabailo claims, then why would they be fightin' this to begin with?

Probably 'cause it's mostly PR and they really don't want to invest in producin' such technology at a large scale unless they're required to.

Just look at the fight and lobbyin' efforts they put up in the fall and winter of last year to oppose the new national standards (even though they were lower than the California ones).

All the major automakers complained they would have trouble reaching those standards by 2020...the gas reaches $4 a gallon, and they all scramble to drop their trucks and SUVs and reach the standards by 2009 and 2010...not 2020.

I don't know whether to be glad they spent all that money to oppose the new standards, only to have consumer demand drive 'em to that point anyway, or to be sad that they essentially lied (though it was obvious) that couldn't meet those standards in the first place.

by Tasermons Partner at 8:22 AM on 27 Jun 2008

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