SACRAMENTO –  Approximately 100 electric vehicles were on display today in Sacramento at the California Air Resources Board's (ARB) "ZEVent."  California's largest display of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technology included manufacturer displays, ride and drives, and a road rally to demonstrate the driveability of ZEVs under real-world conditions.

         ARB Executive Officer Michael P. Kenny said, "The incredible turnout at today's event indicates that ZEV drivers are enthusiastic about their cars and serious about improving California's air quality."

        Included in today's festivities were ev Sacramento participants, which are government agencies that are leasing ZEVs instead of traditional vehicles as part of their fleets.  With the assistance of the Department of General Services, ARB has placed 90 electric vehicles into California state service fleets through ev Sacramento.

       Electric vehicle drivers, some of whom traveled from as far as Southern California, made up the balance of the group, along with manufacturers showcasing their technology. The 30-mile road rally from downtown Sacramento to Sacramento Mather Airport and back had approximately 85 cars participate and demonstrated that electric vehicles can serve as a daily commuter vehicle for most drivers.

        Ride and drives were also conducted to allow the interested public to see for themselves just how an electric vehicle handles, accelerates, sounds and compares to a gas-powered car.

        In 1990, the Board adopted a requirement that 10 percent of the new cars offered for sale in California in 2003 (and beyond) would have to be ZEVs. The major automakers have already put more than 2000 battery-powered ZEVs onto California's roads, and prototypes of fuel cell vehicles that create their own electricity and can be powered by pollution-free hydrogen have already been built.

        In Sacramento on September 7, the Board will meet to review the progress of ZEV technology in preparation for their introduction in 2003.