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PZEVs

Wouldn’t it be great if we could drive the same type of cars we’re already driving, only they didn’t spew harmful greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere? Believe it or not, that’s already possible – and not just for those who drive hybrids.

Cars known as PZEVs (partial zero emission vehicles) are already being mass produced and driven in California, where emissions standards are particularly strict because of the state’s record-setting air pollution problems. More than 500,000 cars – in the form of specially equipped versions of Chevy Cobalts, Ford Fusions, Honda Accords and Volvo S70s – are zipping along California freeways and leaving very little pollution in their wake.

The cars emit 70 percent less carbon dioxide than standard models but look no different and get the same mileage, for about the same price. They do it by using special equipment that traps emissions and a few other special parts, such as a steel gas tank and a catalytic converter that’s made with more precious metals. PZEVs eliminate the type of gas fumes that escape your car while you fill up or seep out of your fuel tank on hot days. Even turned off, some cars emit these evaporative fuels, so a PZEV can potentially emit fewer fumes when running than an old car that’s sitting cold at the curb.

So when will the rest of the country start getting PZEVs? They will soon be available in several states in the Northeast and along the West Coast (such as New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont) where governments have opted to adopt California’s stricter emissions standards. If they catch on, they could become more broadly available. But heads up: You might have to ask around to find them. Dealerships don’t advertise PZEVs much, because they are only available in limited markets.

To learn more about this story, read the article in the New York Times.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org