Tag: California Air Resources Board

California may take a bold move with clean vehicles

Stephen Vagus
California street at sunset - clean vehicles

State may be looking to ban the sale of conventional vehicles in the future Several large cities throughout the world have embraced plans to ban the sale of vehicles that consume fossil-fuels. California may soon follow this example, according to the California Air Resources Board. The organization suggests that Governor Jerry Brown has expressed interest in this concept, which could help California cut down on emissions and support the aggressive adoption of clean vehicles. The state has spent several years attempting to secure the success of clean vehicles and has…

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California agencies aim to demonstrate the capabilities of hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles

Bret Williams
Hydrogen fuel cells - Cars on freeway in California

Agencies will be testing fuel cell vehicles on a road trip Officials from three major agencies in California have announced that they will be traveling from Sacramento to the bay area and back again. The venture is meant to showcase the capabilities of hydrogen fuel cells and how they can be used to power vehicles. The initiative will also highlight the expansion of the state’s hydrogen infrastructure, which has been steadily growing due to a greater focus that California has placed on clean transportation. The future of transportation may be…

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Ballard to help bring new fuel cell buses to California

Alicia Moore
Fuel Cel Buses - Buses on Street

Ballard announces membership in the Fuel Cell Electric Bus Commercialization Consortium Ballard Power Systems, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells, has announced that it has joined the Fuel Cell Electric Bus Commercialization Consortium. Ballard has been working to successfully commercialize fuel cells for several years, but has been met with modest success in the past. As these energy systems have grown in popularity, however, the company is inching closer to achieving its goal. Fuel cells are becoming particularly more common in the public transit space, largely due to governments…

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Local governments are embracing hydrogen fuel cars

Bret Williams

City of Long Beach and Sacramento County purchase new vehicles from Toyota Two of California’s public fleets will be making use of new hydrogen fuel cars from Toyota. One is operated by the City of Long Beach,  with four others being operated by Sacramento County. The latter plans to add another six fuel cell cars to its fleet in the coming years. Each of these vehicles cost the state approximately $41,000, with a $15,000 credit being provided by the California Air Resources Board. Toyota is also providing as much as…

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California changes rebate system to support electric vehicles

Stephen Vagus

State wants low-income people to have more access to clean vehicles California is making a change to the way it supports the adoption of electric vehicles. Over the past few years, rebates and tax credits have been offered by the state in order to make clean vehicles more attractive. These financial incentives have proven to be quite effective, as they have helped promote clean transportation among a wide spectrum of consumers. Now, the state is looking to show more support for low-income individuals that are interested in electric vehicles. Low-income…

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California may change regulations that have supported electric vehicles

Stephen Vagus

State agency is considering softening emissions regulations targeting the transportation sector The California Air Resources Board is set to hold a hearing concerning the softening of emissions regulations in the state. The hearing could create some problems concerning the state’s clean transportation plans. California is currently considered one of the most active and attractive markets for clean vehicles and this has to do with state regulations concerning emissions. The California Zero Emission Vehicle mandate requires automakers to sell a certain percentage of clean vehicles in the state, and this initiative…

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California reaches milestone in sale of electric vehicles

Stephen Vagus

Clean vehicles are gaining momentum throughout California California has reached a significant milestone in the sale of electric vehicles. More than 100,000 electric vehicles have now been sold throughout the state, according to the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative. The organization has been working alongside the California Air Resources Board to keep track of the number of clean vehicles sold in the state. These vehicles include battery electrics, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. State continues to show strong and aggressive support for clean transportation California has become one of…

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Hyundai does not expect to see profits from its fuel cell vehicles

Tami Hood

The Tucson ix35 may not be a profitable vehicle for Hyundai South Korean automaker Hyundai is preparing for the commercialization of its new fuel cell vehicle, the Tucson ix35. The vehicle has already generated a great deal of hype, as it has been used as a vehicle for officials of the European Union and several countries throughout that region. The ix35 has already gained significant momentum in the U.S., as more people are becoming convinced that fuel cell vehicles have some degree of promise when it comes to clean and…

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State university joins effort to expand California’s hydrogen fuel infrastructure

Stephen Vagus

California State University shows off its new fuel station The California State University, Los Angeles, has announced that it is joining the state’s Hydrogen Highway initiative. The university recently unveiled its first hydrogen fuel station, which was built with funding coming primarily from the California Air Resources Board. The new fuel station is part of California’s Hydrogen Highway, which is an expansive fuel infrastructure that is beginning to take form in the state. The initiative was launched under former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s tenure. Hydrogen Highway initiative continues to make progress…

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Hydrogen fuel makes progress in California public transit

John Max
hydrogen fuel cell bus

New hydrogen fuel bus comes to Marin Residents of Marin, California, now have an opportunity to experience hydrogen fuel themselves. A new hydrogen-powered bus has made its way to the city and will be operated by Golden Gate Transit. The bus will remain active for the next two years as city officials determine the viability of hydrogen fuel in public transportation. Golden Gate Transit has teamed with other public transportation agencies to manage the hydrogen fuel transportation project over the next two years. Fuel cells continue to attract attention in…

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California cap-and-trade program set for second auction

Bret Williams
California Cap-and-Trade Alternative Energy

Cap-and-trade continues to prove success in California In early 2012, California introduced an ambitious cap-and-trade initiative that aimed to significantly reduce the greenhouse emissions that the state produces. The initiative was an offshoot of a similar measure that was shaping up from the U.S. government at the time. While the federal measure collapsed, the California cap-and-trade program continued taking form. The California Air Resources Board, which oversees the program, recently held the first carbon credit auction for the program, which set a high standards due to its success and proved…

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MaHyTec creates world’s first hydrogen-powered riding lawnmower

Stephen Vagus

BAHyA, la tondeuse hydrogène du Grand Dole by TVDole *Warning: It’s all in French. Hydrogen lawnmower as an alternative to high-polluting models MaHyTec, a developer and producer of hydrogen fuel tanks used for mobile applications, has unveiled the world’s first hydrogen-powered riding lawnmower. The lawnmower features a small, but powerful internal combustion engine that has been modified to run on hydrogen gas. The lawnmower features a storage tank that can provide the vehicle with enough fuel to run for hours on end. The company had decided to manufacture the riding…

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General Motors to break ties with the oil industry

Stephen Vagus
Fuel Cell Vehicles - GM Headquarters

The U.S. has been taking tentative steps toward establishing energy independence. The federal government has devoted more money to the research and development of alternative energy systems and has been shying away from foreign oil. Real progress, however, is only possible if many businesses that rely on oil break ties with the industry. General Motors has taken the initiative and has begun distancing itself from an industry that made billions in profits while the automaker struggled with bankruptcy. Shad Balch, spokesman for the automaker’s alternative energy affairs, spoke out against…

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Proposed regulations could have a major impact on California’s transportation

Stephen Vagus
California Hybrid Vehicles

The California Air Resources Board has proposed new regulations to the state Legislature. The regulations would affect how many electric vehicles are able to hit the roads in 2025. The board’s regulations dictate that no less than one in seven new vehicles being sold in California must be hybrid or purely alternative energy vehicles. The state expects to see more than 1.4 million electric vehicles on the road in the next 14 years. By 2050, 87% of the vehicles in the state will be powered by hydrogen, if the board’s…

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California’s ZEV plan ruffles the feathers of auto makers

Stephen Vagus
California Hydrogen Fuel News

California has long been the pioneer of the alternative energy shift. As such, the Golden State is no stranger to controversy or opposition from industries that have immersed themselves in oil. The state has not balked at such opposition, however, and is now looking to set forth a new sleuth of regulations that will force auto makers to produce cars with better fuel economy. One in particular is the Zero Emissions Vehicle (FEV) plan, which has caught a tide of criticism from the auto industry. State legislators in the California…

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