November Hearing on Proposed California Emissions Regulations Gets Postponed
Press Release | November 14, 2024
At the last minute, the California Air Resources Board postponed a hearing to propose some of the world’s most stringent emissions standards and sales-percentage requirements for zero-emission models. CARB staff had published proposed new regulatory requirements, which would go beyond the strict Euro 5 standards and set highly ambitious, annually increasing sales targets for zero-emissions motorcycles.
Lane splitting in California
This is a press release from the Motorcycle Industry Council…
“The ZEM requirements proposed by CARB staff would be impossible for most manufacturers to meet based upon current annual sales trends,” said Scott Schloegel, MIC Senior Vice President at the Government Relations Office. “CARB should move away from ZEM sales targets, increase the availability of supporting infrastructure, and support the differing needs and interests of motorcyclists through more incentives for consumers.”
MIC staff continue to work with and advise the MIC’s OEM members regarding CARB.
“We’ve worked hard to keep a degree of feasibility in this challenging but potentially beneficial effort that CARB is proposing,” said Eric Barnes, MIC Vice President, Technical Programs. “For example, harmonization with Euro 5 standards would provide the important potential for cost savings to manufacturers while CARB gets significant emissions reductions.”
In 2018, MIC staff and members began working with CARB staff to investigate the benefits and challenges of harmonizing California emissions standards with Euro 5 requirements. Throughout many meetings and negotiations, MIC staff pursued key concessions from CARB, including Euro 5 harmonization as well as more reasonable requirements for evaporative systems and on-board diagnostics. But, wanting to maintain a reputation as an environmental world leader, CARB staff ultimately proposed going beyond Euro 5 standards.
