SACRAMENTO -- California Air Resources Board (ARB) Chairman John Dunlap today announced the formation of the Zero Emission Vehicle Advisory Committee. The committee was established to promote the market development and infrastructure of zero emission vehicles (ZEV) and to review progress made by the seven largest automotive manufacturers toward designing and building electric vehicles.

        "The work of this committee is critical to the successful introduction of zero emission vehicles to California," Dunlap said. "I am eager to begin work on this important effort," he added.

        The committee includes representatives from the ARB, motor vehicle manufacturers, environmental groups, utilities and others who will review developments on ZEVs needed to make them competitive with conventional vehicles. Establishment of the committee fulfills a Board commitment made at its March 28 hearing to review the progress made by the auto manufacturers charged with building zero emission vehicles.

        California's seven largest sellers of motor vehicles: General Motors, Ford, Chrysler Corporation, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda each agreed to the oversight committee during the March public hearing as part of change in the 1990 ZEV rules originally set to take effect in 1998. In addition to the development of the oversight committee, other important changes in the 1990 rules included: suspension of required numbers of ZEVs, which ranged from 2 percent per year between 1998 and 2000 and 5 percent in 2001 and 2002. The original requirement for all auto manufacturers that sell more than 3000 cars per year statewide to offer 10 percent of their new vehicles as ZEVs in 2003 was not changed.

        Other important changes to the 1990 ZEV rule include commitments by the auto manufacturers to continue a research program that is expected to result in up to 3750 high tech electric vehicles before 2003 built with state-of-the-art components and batteries. The new agreements also call for the development of marketing programs to promote ZEV technology and the early introduction of some electric vehicles to gain on-road experience about performance and durability characteristics and significant financial penalties for failure to comply with the agreement terms. The ARB retains the authority to reinstitute the original 1990 rules on any manufacturer that does not comply with the contractual agreements.

        In addition, the ARB has also contributed $500,000 to a multi-agency research project to build two state-of-the-art, ground-up electric vehicles that combine advanced technology with practical concerns including comfort, range and price. The project will also provide a detailed manufacturing process which could be used by automakers to produce advanced electric vehicles.

        Dubbed "world electric vehicles," $4 million has been earmarked by the project partners to design and develop them. In addition to the ARB's contribution, the South Coast Air Quality Management District contributed $500,000 and Troy Design and Manufacturing (TDM), the company that will design and build the vehicles, also added $600,000. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Mid-Atlantic Regional Consortium for Advanced Vehicles together contributed $2.1 million and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection gave $300,000.

        "This project is a stepping stone for California businesses because it will provide prospective electric vehicle builders with real cost, design and manufacturing data," Dunlap said.

        The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.

ZEV Implementation Advisory Committee Membership

Name Title Organization Andrew Card President & CEO American Automobile Manufacturers Association Gregory Dana Vice President & Technical Director Association of International Automobile Manufacturers Mike Miller (Peter Welch) President (Director, Government & Legal Affairs) California Motor Car Dealers Association

Diane Wittenberg President Edison EV Mickey Oros President & CEO Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Malcolm Currie

(John Stearns) Co-Chairman Chairman Chairman Emeritus

(Director) Project California Phase II USC Board of Trustees Hughes Aircraft Company (Project California) David Modisette Executive Director Electric Transportation Coalition Robert Swaroop

(Eric Riddell) Manager, Battery Systems, EPRI (Manager, Electric Business Unit, EPRI) USABC Wayne Nastri President, Environmental Mediation, Inc. ALABC Patrick Moseley Manager, Electrochemistry ILZRO Janet Hathaway Senior Attorney NRDC Dan Pellissier Communications Director Cal/EPA Don Benninghoven Executive Director League of California Cities Michael Appleby Manager, Auto Engineering Department Automobile Club of Southern California George Wilson Vice President & General Manager, Fleet Operations; President Bank of America

National Association of Fleet Administrators