"An obscure program embraced years ago by the state Air Resources Board threatens to dramatically scale back the number of cleaner-running cars that automakers are required to roll out in California." SignOnSanDiego.com > News > State -- Program may stall push for cleaner cars
If gas prices had not skyrocketed and everyone was still buying Suburbans, Excursions, and H2s like they did two years ago, then this news would be an extreme disappointment. But, today, May2008, the consumer is driving sales and demand for hybrids, plug-in hybrids, EVs, and zero-emissions cars in general. The credits are worthless if no one is buying Tahoes and everyone is buying hybrids. Another thing to consider, GM is investing billions of dollars into the Chevy Volt. Toyota is selling Priuses and Yarises ten times faster than 5.7L V8 Sequoias. Purchasing those fuel credits from smaller EV companies would indeed be a financial boost to the EV companies, and that technology will likely be bought later down the road by one of the big automakers.
Maybe - if gas hits $8 or so a gallon. Otherwise is gas stays less than $5, people (Americans) will adapt to the higher pricse and while complaining - still buy every new V8 Camaro next year that GM can make. Sorry, but regulation (much higher CAFE standards) are likely needed to reduce Americans insatiable demand for imported oil.
We can live in the dream land and hope for regulation to implement standards that would benefit the greater good assuming the oil/car industry don't unleash their lawyer hordes to combat the regulations, I'm not going to hold my breath. With the imminent collapse of the dollar, $8 gallon of gas will be here way sooner than any regulations with teeth get passed. I'm predicting 2.5 years.
