Zero-emissions vehicle

Zero Emission Vehicle ( ZEV ) is the name for a vehicle in the most extreme form of emission standards of the CARB laws of the U.S. state of California. It literally means "zero emission vehicle " and points to the lack of harmful emissions from combustion gases during operation (tank -to-wheel ) of the vehicles; but is not recognized to emissions due to abrasion (fine dust) and noise. The term was coined by the Californian " Low Emission Program" and considered various defined pollutant emissions.

A ZEV in the literal sense, there is not, as in the operation of each vehicle emissions arise, for example, noise from the drive units such as engine, transmission and tires or the wind.

  • 2.1 limits
  • 2.2 validity

Vehicle outline

Suppliers are classified in various ways according to the type of drive system, the energy used, type of storage or the emitted substances.

ZEV electric drive system

  • Electric car battery- electric vehicle with a traction battery (example: GM EV1)
  • Fuel cell vehicles with accumulator (Mercedes- Benz F-Cell ), liquid hydrogen storage ( cryogenically stored hydrogen ) or liquid fuel methanol ( ex: Honda FCX Concept) [note 1]
  • Vehicles with flywheel energy storage (eg: Gyrobus )

ZEV mechanical drive system

  • Vehicles with hydrogen internal combustion engine (eg: BMW Hydrogen ) [note 2]
  • Vehicles with hydrogen gas turbine [note 2]
  • Vehicles with gas expansion engine (compressed air car)
  • Muscle- powered vehicles [note 3]

Notes:

Low Emission Program

The introduction of zero-emission program by the Californian Air Resources Board CARB in 1990 on the basis of the adopted in 1987, the Clean Air Act of the State of California. There is here a part of the Low Emission Program, which now exists in its third version and has validity. In this framework, the program has already been written that by 2018, the proportion of newly registered vehicles that meet the ZEV regulations, the total number of newly registered vehicles shall be 18 %. In 1997, the first time was a consent of the Big Seven - the seven automotive manufacturers who sell, develop in California, the largest number of cars zero- emission vehicle and produce. However, for the original strict control was significantly revised in favor of the automobile manufacturers. Meanwhile, these provisions have not been more accepted only in California validity, but are over time by a number of U.S. states and are used in applications.

The entire body of law applies only to certain vehicle emissions that are released during the operation to the environment ( tank -to-wheel ): carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides NMOG [ [NOx ] ]. Not included are the CO2 emissions that have taken on a new significance in the context of the climate debate, as well as a consideration of the energy supply well-to- tank or the entire energy chain, from production of energy to convert into kinetic energy ( Well-to- Wheel). Also remains not a holistic pollutant balance and life cycle assessment.

However, not only the vehicle- related emissions in the relevant operation, but also the load are for the environmental performance of a vehicle by

  • Manufacture of the vehicle
  • Production and processing of the fuel or the electric current
  • Maintenance of the vehicle
  • Disposal of the vehicle
  • Logistics -related emissions for manufacturing, distribution, maintenance and disposal

Unlike known by European emission standards, where a stricter limit on a certain date by all automobile manufacturers in all new models must be adhered to proven, new standards with stricter limits by so-called phase -in and phase -out will be in the USA and in California the old standard introduced. This is a time- extended multi-year introduction, in which the new standard to attract an increasing each year a percentage of all new models must be maintained, the old standard can be met, however, by a falling each year a percentage of all new models. This applies individually for each manufacturer, as a basis for that percentage applies the entire new fleet of vehicles put on the market by the manufacturer.

Thus, it was also during the transition from procedural to LEV1 LEV2. LEV1 had since model year ( a new model already used in the period from August to October of the previous year on the market ) in 1994 with an appropriate phase -in validity. In the period 2004-2007 it was replaced with an appropriate phase -in or phase -out by LEV2. In plain English, this means:

Limits

The limits listed in the following two tables refer to a mileage of 50,000 miles. For the mileage of 100,000 miles is commonly referred to as "Useful Life", the detected values ​​are entered at the slightly higher.

CO = carbon monoxide - NMOG = non methane organic gas (hydrocarbon except methane ) - NOx = nitrogen oxide

Validity

The following U.S. states have adopted the California LEV regulations to date:

  • Arizona, MY 2011
  • Connecticut, MY 2008
  • Maine, MY 2009
  • Maryland, MY 2011
  • Massachusetts, MY 2004
  • New Jersey, MY 2008
  • New Mexico, MY 2011
  • New York, MY 2004
  • Oregon, MY 2009
  • Pennsylvania, MY 2008
  • Rhode Iceland, MY 2008
  • Vermont, MY 2004
  • Washington, MY 2009

The following U.S. states are still under discussion whether the provisions should be adopted:

  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Montana
  • North Carolina
  • Utah
  • Wisconsin

Development of ZEV requirements since the introduction

After the announcement, introduce the ZEV mandate, a percentage of 10 % of all newly registered vehicles was after lengthy discussions with representatives of the automotive industry, for the 2003 model year first established, which satisfy the ZEV requirements. The original plan to recognize only such vehicles as zero-emission vehicles that actually emitted nothing was, however, dropped by violent interventions in the automotive industry. When such a vehicle drives, it could in fact according to the original version just to fuel cell vehicles and battery electric vehicles act. While the hydrogen-powered vehicles in 2003 were still in the development, battery electric vehicles were developed by all major manufacturers at an early stage. However, their production was not economically viable, which is why the manufacturers pushed for a relaxation of the CARB laws and almost completely discontinued the development of ZEV after their implementation and the existing, functioning ZEV vehicles in some cases even scrapped. This phase focuses on the documentary Who killed the electric car? from the year 2003.

Examples of ZEV vehicles developed from this phase:

  • GM EV1
  • Toyota RAV4 electric
  • Honda EV Plus
  • Ford Ecostar
  • Ford Ranger EV
  • BMW E1
  • Daimler A-Class electric
  • Golf City Stromer
  • Hotzenblitz

For this reason, even those vehicles were from 2003 (start of ZEV vehicles) partially recognized, who possessed little or very clean drives, or as the recently introduced hybrid vehicles - a small travel distance could purely electric set. Thus, a "dilution" of the original share of 10 % ZEV vehicles were, why is promoted by the manufacturers and the designation LEV (literally: "Low Emission Vehicle " ) established. The following types of vehicles were also - if only partially - recognized as ZEV vehicles:

Which automakers are affected

The development of battery-powered electric drives, or those that get their needed energy from a fuel cell, and feature a hydrogen tank is economical to stem not from all automobile manufacturers, the cars in California sell at all. Meanwhile, the Air Resources Board was always aware as the responsible authority. For such smaller companies therefore a staggered solution was created that looks like this:

For these manufacturers, an example calculation might look like this:

Swell

  • Motor vehicle
  • Environmental
  • Drive Technology
California Air Resources Board General Motors EV1 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Methanol-Reformer Material flow analysis
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