US Government Makes it Illegal for Car Companies to Sell Green (PZEV) Cars to Many Consumers.

Originally published April 16, 2008
Written by David Gutierrez.

Although seven major auto companies have developed gasoline-burning cars with lower tailpipe emissions than many hybrids, government regulations make it illegal to purchase or sell such cars in 42 of 50 U.S. states.

Eight states in the United States, including California, New York and six other Northeast states, have stricter clean air requirements than the federal government. To meet the requirements of those markets, auto makers have developed what California calls "Partial Zero Emission Vehicles" (PZEV), so called because they are nearly as clean at the tailpipe as an electric (zero emission) car, although they do still leak gas into the air while the tank is being filled.

According to the California Air Resources Board, the tailpipe emissions of a PZEV can be cleaner than the air in a smoggy city. Ford's PZEV Focus takes three hours to generate the same emissions as grilling a single hamburger, while many PZEVs can go 2,000 miles on the same equivalent emissions that a gas-powered lawnmower puts out in an hour.

The PZEVs developed by Ford, General Motors, Honda, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo are merely cleaner versions of their standard models, intended for sale in the more environmentally restrictive markets. They do not get higher gas mileage than their regular-emissions equivalents.

While many consumers in other states might want to purchase such vehicles for the environmental benefit alone, the Clean Air Act actually prohibits sales of the vehicles in 42 states. Anyone participating in such a sale, whether as purchaser, buyer or even auto manufacturer, can be fined up to $27,500.

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