Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle

A Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle is a vehicle that has zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system, has a 15-year (or at least 150,000-mile) warranty and meets SULEV tailpipe-emission standards.<ref>Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref>

Definition and history

PZEVs have their own administrative category within the state of California for low emission vehicles.

This vehicle category was created as part of a bargain with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), so that the automobile manufacturers could postpone producing mandated zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), which will require the production of electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The vehicles constructed to meet the PZEV requirements also fall within the Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (SULEV)-category. The Super Ultra standard is designed to be even more rigorous than the Ultra standard or low-emission vehicle standard. Various techniques are used to reduce pollution in these vehicles. In order to qualify as a PZEV, a vehicle must meet the SULEV standard and, in addition, have zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system plus an extended (15-year/150,000-mile) warranty on its emission-control components, which incidentally covers the propulsion electrical components of a hybrid electric vehicle.

Some vehicles can be classified as AT-PZEV, standing for Advanced Technology PZEV. This type of vehicle is just as clean as a PZEV vehicle, but gets much better fuel efficiency due to the use of hybrid electric vehicle systems. This technology can also be used in a Sport Utility Vehicle to improve their traditionally lower fuel economy; however they may still lag behind the efficiency of smaller vehicles.

With the exception of some hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles, PZEVs do not come with any incentives other than the extended emissions warranty for buyers from either federal or state government. In particular, PZEV vehicles do not automatically qualify for the hybrid vehicle tax credit or for the "clean air vehicle" decal that allows hybrid car drivers to use car-pool lanes.<ref>Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref>

Originally, vehicles that meet PZEV standards were only available in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, or Vermont and in Canada— or in some sales regions near these states. These five "clean car states" have implemented California's more stringent motor vehicle pollution control rules. Other states soon began implementing these standards, including Alaska, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington, and PZEVs are now widely available in the United States.<ref>{{#if: Uniting greens, gearheads

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See also

• Tier (emission standard)
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

External links

• Official California Government site