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Public Meeting to Provide an Informational Update on the Zero Emission Vehicle Regulation Revisions

On December 10th, CARB staff will update the Board on the development of Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) technologies, the role these technologies may play in achieving the State’s 2050 greenhouse gas emission goal, how the ZEV regulation could be modified to help achieve this goal, and what other policies may be beneficial or necessary to assure adequate and timely fueling infrastructure and to incentivize consumers to buy ZEVs.  This is an informational item and no regulatory action will be taken at this time.  A regulatory update of the ZEV program is planned in late 2010.
 
In conjunction with this upcoming Board meeting, CARB staff released the following documents on November 25th:
 

• White Paper:  Summary of Staff’s Preliminary Assessment of the Need for Revisions to the Zero Emission Vehicle Regulation

• Attachment A:  Status of ZEV Technology Commercialization (Technical Support Document)

• Attachment B:  2050 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis:  Staff Modeling in Support of the Zero Emission Vehicle Regulation

• Attachment C:  Complementary Policies

To download copies of the above documents, click here.

Regarding the assessment of the need for revisions to the Zero Emission Vehicle regulation, Staff recommends the following:
 
1.    The focus of the ZEV regulation should be shifted to address GHG emission reductions as well as criteria pollutants emission reductions.
 
2.    An important new goal for the ZEV program should be to help assure the transformation to very low carbon-emitting vehicles occurs in the timeframe necessary to meet the Governor’s 2050 target of an 80% reduction in GHGs compared to 1990 levels.
 
3.    The upcoming revision to the ZEV regulation should help assure the successful launch of commercial ZEVs in the next decade, which appears needed to meet the 2050 GHG target.
 
4.    PZEVs, now a part of the ZEV regulation, are commercial, and can be removed from the ZEV regulation (effective in 2014). Their emission benefits are appropriately considered in next summer’s revision to the LEV criteria emission standards.
 
5.     AT-PZEVs, now a part of the ZEV regulation, are commercial, and can be removed from the ZEV regulation (effective in 2017). Their emission benefits are appropriately considered in next summer’s revision to the LEV GHG emission standards.
 
6.    The proposed structure and stringency of the revised ZEV program will depend in part on the Board’s decision on establishing more stringent GHG standards for the overall fleet, next summer, and how well it places on the path to meeting an 80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050.
 
7.    The staff intends to further evaluate incentive and regulatory policies that can assure adequate fueling infrastructure is available for to support the commercialization of ZEVs.
 
8.        The staff will also evaluate the adequacy of incentives to encourage purchase of ZEVs, and will recommend to the Board what complementary policies best support implementation of the ZEV program.

More DOE Vehicle-Related Technology Awards Announced

On November 18^th, DOE announced $104.7 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for eight new projects to establish research and testing facilities at seven DOE National Laboratories.  The projects are in the areas of carbon fiber manufacturing and processing technologies, advanced battery prototype fabrication and testing facilities, and integrated building systems development.  With regard specifically to the carbon fiber and battery projects, the awards are as follows:

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN) will receive $34.7 million for carbon fiber manufacturing and processing to construct the Carbon Fiber Technology Center.  The Center will investigate novel manufacturing processes and alternative feedstocks in order to lower the cost of carbon fiber from the current $10-$20 per pound to under $5 per pound.
• Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne, IL) will receive $8.8 million to construct three battery research and development facilities:  a Battery Prototype Cell Fabrication Facility, a Materials Production Scale-Up Facility, and a Post-Test Analysis Facility.
• Idaho National Laboratory (Idaho Falls, ID) will receive $5 million to establish a High Energy Battery Test Facility.  The High Energy Battery Test Facility will possess capabilities that will enable development of low cost batteries that meet real world performance requirements. 
• Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM) will receive $4.2 million to modify and enhance its Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory. Abusive testing includes such conditions as over charging, over discharge, short circuits, fire and external heat exposure. The improved battery abuse testing facilities will possess capabilities critical for developing low cost batteries that meet real world performance requirements.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO) will receive $2 million to establish a Battery Thermal and Life Test Facility. The Battery Thermal and Life Test Facility will enable researchers to develop lower cost, more robust battery thermal management systems and battery designs.

U.S. - China Electric Vehicle Initiative

On November 17, 2009, President Obama and President Hu Jintao announced a package of measures to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. and China on clean energy. 

Included in this is the U.S.-China Electric Vehicles Initiative.  The two Presidents announced the launch of the U.S.-China Electric Vehicles Initiative.  Building on the first-ever US-China Electric Vehicle Forum in September 2009, the initiative will include joint standards development, demonstration projects in more than a dozen cities, technical roadmapping and public education projects.  The two leaders emphasized their countries’ strong shared interest in accelerating the deployment of electric vehicles in order to reduce oil dependence, cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote economic growth.

Click here for the full announcement on U.S. Department of Energy's website. 

DOE Announces New Executive Director of Loan Guarantee Program

On November 10, 2009, DOE issued the press release announcing that Secretary Chu has named Jonathan Silver Executive Director of the Department’s loan program office.  In this role, Silver will oversee the Department's Loan Guarantee Program as well as the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program.  Prior to his appointment, Silver was a venture capitalist and the Managing General Partner of Core Capital Partners, an early-stage investor in alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, telecommunications and software. Earlier, Silver was a Managing Director, and the Chief Operating Officer, of Tiger Management. He began his career at McKinsey and Company.  According to DOE, Silver has extensive public sector experience, having served as a policy advisor to the Secretaries of Commerce, Interior and Treasury in the 1990s. During this time, Silver was also a member of the team that negotiated the first clean car agreement with the nation's auto manufacturers. He has also served on numerous non-profit boards, including, for many years serving as Chairman of the board of American Forests.  Silver is a graduate of Harvard University and did graduate work at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris and the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. He has received both Fulbright and Rotary Graduate Fellowships.

Air Brake Systems

On November 13, 2009, NHTSA published a notice in the Federal Register at 74 FR 58562 that responds to petitions for reconsideration filed in response to the July 27, 2009 final rule that amended FMVSS 121 by requiring substantial improvements in stopping distance performance.  With this November 13th notice, NHTSA is amending the rule by correcting errors in a table, removing a testing specification, and adjusting the compliance date for a small number of vehicles the agency had not fully accounted for in the July final rule.  This notice does not address all of the outstanding petitions.  Petitions for reconsideration of this notice are due Nov. 24, 2009.  NHTSA contact: Jeff Woods, Office of Crash Avoidance, 202-366-0098.  Docket reference: NHTSA-2009-0175.     

SAE International Forms New Committee to Create Vehicle Battery Standards

Today (Nov. 11, 2009), SAE issued the press release below regarding a new committee to create vehicle battery standards.

WARRENDALE, Pa., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The continued development of new and advanced battery technologies will play a critical role as vehicle manufacturers increase the availability of hybrid-electric vehicles, move toward the implementation of plug-in hybrid-electric and battery-exclusive vehicles, and continue research into other variations of electric-related vehicle propulsion systems. To address this growing technology and to help standardize development, SAE International is creating a new Vehicle Battery Standards Committee which will serve as a center for standardization.
 
"We, along with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), recognize the importance that batteries and battery technology play in the design and development of new vehicles. SAE International has long been at the forefront of standards development and we feel that this committee will fill a crucial need in the development of this technology," David L. Schutt, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, SAE International, said.

The new SAE Vehicle Battery Standards Committee will initially focus on standardizing battery performance and safety and will assure harmonization with other standards development in the U.S. and around the world.

"AIAM members look forward to the opportunity to participate in the new SAE Vehicle Battery Standards Committee," said Michael J. Stanton, President and CEO of AIAM. "The work of this Committee will be of great value to vehicle and battery manufacturers, and in particular will help assure appropriate levels of safety are incorporated into battery systems for vehicle propulsion."

The SAE Vehicle Battery Standards Committee will report to the SAE Motor Vehicle Council, which is responsible for development of all passenger car, light duty truck and van standards within SAE International.

"The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers fully supports the creation by SAE of a new Vehicle Battery Standards Committee. This is consistent with SAE's traditional role of drawing together leading industry experts to develop standards that help guide the auto industry with state-of-the-art design practices. Advanced battery technology is one of the most important technical issues being addressed by Alliance members today. SAE's involvement will complement Alliance members' actions already in place to develop electric vehicle technologies with a high-level of safety," said Robert Strassburger, Vice President of Safety and Harmonization of the Alliance.

SAE International is a global association of more than 121,000 engineers and related technical experts in the automotive, aerospace and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion(R) and the Collegiate Design Series.

FMVSS 108 (Lighting)

NHTSA has announced that it is delaying the effective date of the December 2007 final rule that reorganized FMVSS 108.  The rule was to take effect Dec. 1, 2009, however, with this change the rule will now not take effect until Dec. 1, 2012.  In the interim, NHTSA intends to respond to numerous petitions for reconsideration that were filed in response to the December 2007 rule.  

Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR)

On November 9, 2009, EPA published a notice in the Federal Register at 74 FR 57671 announcing that they are granting certain manufacturers new and limited variations in emission-related scheduled maintenance intervals for the replenishment of the nitrogen containing reducing agent for Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) technologies used in light-duty and chassis certified diesel vehicles for model years 2009-2010, and used in heavy-duty diesel vehicles and heavy-duty diesel engines for model years 2009-2011. 

Final Vehicle Safety Rulemaking and Research Priority Plan 2009-2011

On November 9, 2009, NHTSA published a notice in the Federal Register at 74 FR 57623 announcing the availability of the Final Vehicle Safety Rulemaking and Research Priority Plan 2009-2011 (Priority Plan) in Docket No. NHTSA-2009-0108.  The final version of the Priority Plan includes updates in the areas of background data analysis, motorcycle braking, New Car Assessment Program Vehicle-Child Restraint System (CRS) fit program, ejection mitigation, power windows, brake transmission shift interlock, child restraints in side impacts, rear visibility of vehicles, fuel economy, consumer tire rating program, motorcycle helment labeling, compatibility, pedestrian safety, and heavy truck stopping distance.  Added to the final plan is a project to finalize a driver distraction plan under the high-priority section “Light-Vehicle Crash Avoidance and Mitigation-Advanced Technologies.”

SAE 2010 Government/Industry Meeting

SAE’s 2010 Government/Industry meeting will be held January 27-29 in Washington, DC.  Sessions will include:

- Crash Avoidance Technologies for Heavy Trucks

- Enforcement: CARS and CAFÉ

- Adding Up the Carbon of Renewable Fuels

- Second Generation Biofuels

- Front and Side Impact Crashworthiness

- Vehicle Rollover and Occupant Containment

- New Innovations in Advanced Safety Technology

- Crash Avoidance and Crash Causation

- Electricity -- The Fuel of the Future....Today?

- Return of the Plug-in Electric Vehicle -- Will the Sequel Succeed?

- Marketing Safety

- Safety Data

- Heavy-Duty Technologies & Solutions to Improve Efficiency and Emissions

- What's Next for Heavy-Duty Engine Regulations?

- Child Safety

- Pedestrian Safety

- Alternative Fuel Vehicle Safety

- Light-Duty Powertrain Strategies -- Are IC Engines Taking a Back Seat?

- Biomechanics

- Who Pays for the High-Fuel Economy Vehicles of the Future?

- Distraction

For information on the upcoming meeting, go to http://www.sae.org/events/gim/.