I have been a lurker here, but I figured this would be a good place to post this. :)

If CARB takes the right direction it can only be good news for the Volt!

Please read this short summary:

http://rechargeit.blogspot.com/2008/...v-program.html

and this:

http://www.pluginamerica.org/action.shtm

and do what you think is right!

Does anyone know if GM is planning any public comments at the meeting?

On another note, some bloggers are predicting some big announcements by EV advocates at the CARB meeting--I won't hold my breath, but it does give someone like Tesla quite a platform from which to announce, say the Whitestar.

I have been a lurker here, but I figured this would be a good place to post this. :)
If CARB takes the right direction it can only be good news for the Volt!
Please read this short summary:
http://rechargeit.blogspot.com/2008/...v-program.html
and this:
http://www.pluginamerica.org/action.shtm
and do what you think is right!

I can't get the first link to work.
Tesla released a letter to the board blasting the changes and saying that they are a farce - not doable. So I doubt they'll be announcing the Whitestar. JMO

This is the first link again: Chick Here (http://rechargeit.blogspot.com/2008/03/californias-zev-program.html)

It works for me.:confused:

This is the first link again: Chick Here (http://rechargeit.blogspot.com/2008/03/californias-zev-program.html)
It works for me.:confused:

Me too.
Thanks,
Tagamet

I might be about to get attacked for saying this, but here goes. Maybe it's not the role of the government to regulate this? Private sectors can figure it out on their own through supply and demand. Gas prices go up, people want better fuel and enrgy efficiency. Government offered incentive to buy hummers and guess what sold, hummers. Why do people think politicians have any chance of getting it right? They just muck it up. Nobody was this interested in the ev1 cause gas was still cheap. In the 8 years I have been driving fuel has gone up over 300%. This gets people motivated, not some new b.s. revision of a regulation that already failed.

I might be about to get attacked for saying this, but here goes. Maybe it's not the role of the government to regulate this? Private sectors can figure it out on their own through supply and demand. Gas prices go up, people want better fuel and enrgy efficiency. Government offered incentive to buy hummers and guess what sold, hummers. Why do people think politicians have any chance of getting it right? They just muck it up. Nobody was this interested in the ev1 cause gas was still cheap. In the 8 years I have been driving fuel has gone up over 300%. This gets people motivated, not some new b.s. revision of a regulation that already failed.

I disagree and about a million Synergy drivers might too. The CARB rules did help spur development that led to the hybrids in production today as well as the Volt. Regulations is neither intrinsically good or bad. The better it is done, started smartly and kept up to date, the more effective it can be. No rules and no regulation mean chaos and not necessarily development toward any long term goal. Yes, without and interference gas will ultimately become too expensive and scarce, eventual forcing alternatives or aggressive measures (a.k.a. wars) to procure what is NEEDED. Sure we could get back on that path, but if we know where we need to go (end oil dependance) why not take a path of lesser resistance and pain? It will take 20 years or so to convert the vast majority of American automobiles to electric drivetrains if we start today. Clearly, without any regulation the transition would not get very far with expected early generation costs given todays fuel costs. Even in 2010, this will probably be true.

So, should we hope car makers have a long term outlook and that gas prices rise enough to cause enough pain or should the government take a 30 year perspective that will lead to about $500B/year ($ paid to foreign entities for oil) staying in this country with today's figures?

My vote is to spend $3-4B average per year (less in early years) taken from other current less attractive government incentives, incorporate CARB with CAFE in a "practical" way and help smooth our transition away from oil. We have seen what doing little begets and IMO more of the same or less will lead to a heck of lot more hardship.

Finally, I found a news story that say that while the review team talks about reducing the number of pure ZEV's down from 25,000 to 2,500, they would ask for an offsetting 75,000 hybrids to be sold:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1tQjPCsT74RMthzCWeiw8_QKj9QD8VLMGDG1

That sounds like a great trade. Given that GM says it would roll out its Chevy Volt in California first, it is clear that GM is hoping to easily meet or beat that mandate, assuming market demand is really there.

Finally, I found a news story that say that while the review team talks about reducing the number of pure ZEV's down from 25,000 to 2,500, they would ask for an offsetting 75,000 hybrids to be sold:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1tQjPCsT74RMthzCWeiw8_QKj9QD8VLMGDG1

That sounds like a great trade. Given that GM says it would roll out its Chevy Volt in California first, it is clear that GM is hoping to easily meet or beat that mandate, assuming market demand is really there.

Overall that may not be bad, but given GM's design, I would be lobbying to make a 40 (or 60) mile range highway capable BEV count as a ZEV (if it doesn't already). Keep the 25K (close to it) ZEV and add the 50-75K Plug-In Hybrid. They could then watch the major competition flop like fish out of water since it would be a snap to offer a BEV version of the Volt.

Overall that may not be bad, but given GM's design, I would be lobbying to make a 40 (or 60) mile range highway capable BEV count as a ZEV (if it doesn't already). Keep the 25K (close to it) ZEV and add the 50-75K Plug-In Hybrid. They could then watch the major competition flop like fish out of water since it would be a snap to offer a BEV version of the Volt.

It's starting to sound like something of that sort will happen. Pure EV mileage is going to count towards the EV mandate, so its just a question of apportionment. If 70% of drivers only drive 40 miles, then the Volt should count significantly towards that goal.