California's
zero emission vehicle program
Should
Alex
Buy a Battery-Powered Car?
The scene: Lunchtime at a crowded cafe on
campus.
Baylor,
Chris, and Dale are grabbing a bite to eat as they compare notes about
their
perpetual on-campus parking woes. From across the cafe, Baylor spies
Alex.
Baylor: Hey, Alex! Come join us.
Where have you
been? We haven't seen you in weeks.
Alex
saunters
over to their table and pulls up a chair.
Alex: Can't stay long. I'm
shopping for a new
car.
Chris: Whatever for? You're car is
still
running, isn't it?
Alex: It's my New Year's
Resolution for 2003.
I decided that I'd like to live a more environmental lifestyle. So I'm
going to
be part of California's Zero Emission Vehicle program. I want to buy a
car that
doesn't pollute. Dale nearly chokes on a cup of coffee.
Dale: A ZEV? You're crazy! When
the California
Air Resources Board started their ZEV program in 1990, they were
operating in
fantasy land, just hoping that by mandating that 10% of the cars sold
in
California by 2003 they could force car manufactures to develop
electric
vehicles. But car manufacturers are market driven. They can't justify
developing complicated new technology if consumers won't buy it. And
people
don't want to buy battery powered cars. The State of California has had
to
relax the ZEV guidelines several times since the 1990s, just to prevent
the
automakers from suing the state for creating an unfair business
environment.
What's the deal now? They require 2% of cars sold to be true ZEVs? And
the
state is still contending with potential law suits from the auto
makers. The
ZEV program is toast. Besides, ZEVs have no resale value. At my Dad's
car
dealership, no one ever comes in asking to buy a battery powered car.
You can
only use them for short errands - the maximum range is what? About 50
miles?
Alex
(interjecting): Actually
the new electric cars can go nearly 150 miles on a single charge, if
they're
driven carefully. And the newest ZEVs that use hydrogen fuel cells have
a range
of more than 200 miles, although they're outrageously expensive and
only
available for lease at present.
Dale
(continuing on): And you
absolutely don't want to drive a small under-powered car, especially
now that
over 50% of the vehicles sold in the U.S. are big S.U.V.s and trucks.
Chris: I agree with Dale that you
shouldn't buy
a new ZEV, but I disagree with Dale's reasons. ZEVs just aren't
sufficiently
environmental to justify their cost. For one thing, manufacturing a new
car
uses an enormous amount of metals, plastics, and lots of energy. And
then once
they are built, you have to keep charging the batteries o
the regular power grid. So a ZEV still
uses power and it still pollutes|-the only difference between a ZEV and
a
gas-powered car is that the pollution no longer comes out of your
tailpipe. Sure
in theory ZEVs generate less pollution per mile than conventional cars,
but
that assumes that the power plants are following modern emissions
guidelines.
And you know how problematic electricity can be in California. Finally,
when
the car dies, the batteries are major environmental contaminants. If
you really
want to live the pure and simple life, you should stop driving your car
altogether. Save it for emergencies if you have to, but take the bus or
bicycle
to get around day to day.
Alex: I thought about giving up
my car
altogether, but the bus routes really don't meet my needs, and I just
hate
bicycling in the rain. Plus, it's tough to take a group of friends to
the
movies on the back of my bicycle. All in all, I estimate that I use a
car often
enough that I may as well make it an efficient vehicle.
Baylor: In that
case, why aren't you looking at gas hybrid cars? They're low polluters,
and
they have enormous range so you don't have to worry about being
stranded far
from a power socket. Plus their fuel efficiency is amazing. I was
reading that they
use regenerative braking to charge up their batteries, so they can do
more than
50 miles to the gallon, in the city and on the highway.
Alex: I've thought about hybrids
too, but they
just aren't ZEVs. They pollute a little more, and they don't meet
California's
original zero-pollution goals. Plus, here's the ultimate selling point:
with a
ZEV, I'll be able to park in a designated spot, at a recharging station
right
in the center of campus.
Objectives: By the
end of this case study you should understand the justification for
low-pollution vehicles, the current legislation in California, and the
vehicle options that are currently available.
Questions:
(1)
What is a
zero emission vehicle (or ZEV)?
(2)
What does
the California Air Resources Board mandate for new car sales starting
in 2003,
and why? Why is air quality an important issue in California?
(3)
What four
points of view are presented in this dialogue by Alex, Baylor, Chris,
and Dale?
Each of you should choose one of these perspectives to represent within
your
groups.
(4)
Based on
what you know now, what are the advantages and disadvantages of
gasoline
powered vehicles, electric cars, and gas-electric hybrids? How do they
compare
with bicycles or public transportation?
(5)
What would
you advise Alex to do? What additional information do you need to
better advise
on car shopping options? Make a list of questions for which you want to
find
answers, and come prepared to debate this topic in greater detail next
time?
In
particular,
you'll want to find out why the ZEV program was initially established
in 1990,
why it was scaled back in the mid-1990s, and why it has not yet been
canceled
despite lobbying from automakers.
Click here for supplemental material, including a pdf version of the case study and web links.
Case study prepared by Sarah Gille, University of California, San
Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0230.
For further information about this case study and its companion learning units, see
(Gille, 2004) - Gille, S., Integrating Science into Policy in the Classroom: Three Case Studies on the Atmosphere, Journal of Earth System Science Education, 1 (Article + Case Studies), JESSE-04-300-07, 2004 http://jesse.usra.edu/archive/jesse04-300-07