Abstract
Abstract
The automobile is, arguably, the most environmentally harmful technology on earth. Autosand trucks and busesare responsible for the fastest-growing fraction of greenhouse gases, they are the primary source of urban air pollution, and their collective appetite for oil has created the enormous, costly, environmentally damaging, and politically tenuous exploration, drilling, refining, and transport infrastructure called the oil system. These problems can be substantially solved (air pollution) or alleviated (energy and greenhouse gases) with the accelerated introduction of new vehicle and fuel technologies. The best new cars on the road today using the cleanest fuels emit only a tiny fraction as much pollution as the dirtiest new car, and consume much less fuel.
While vehicle technologies have improved substantially in response to more than 40 years of regulation, the legislative and regulatory systems to encourage cleaner cars have often lagged, or have moved forward in uneven ways, or have created unnecessary trade-offs, or have simply missed important pollutants.
This global overview represents a report card, assessing progress towards cleaning up vehicles in different jurisdictions, and highlighting some of the key trends in the field. The report finds:
1. Europe has made great progress on reducing greenhouse gases from motor vehicles, and Japan has significantly tightened its standardsbut the US fleet is falling further and further behind with regard to these pollutants. California is attempting to close this gap.
2. In contrast, emissions standards for diesel cars in Europe, Japan, and the US differ greatly, with the toughest standards in Europe and Japan allowing 2 to 4 times more pollution than US standards.
3. New technologies, especially hybrids and advanced diesels, are crucial for solving the pollution and greenhouse gas problems simultaneously, but no jurisdiction, possibly excepting California, has policies that adequately stimulate the market for these new technologies.
4. Developing nations could achieve world-class standards for autosboth in terms of pollution reduction and fuel efficiencywithin a decade, at a modest cost and with enormous health benefits, reduced fuel costs, and reduced refinery capacity investments. To achieve this, it is crucial that developing nations reduce sulfur in their fuels.
New technologiesin refineries, engines, drive systems, and vehiclesthat can drastically reduce the environmental impact of cars, trucks, and buses are becoming less expensive and more reliable. But their benefits may never be realized unless the leading auto producing and auto using nations accelerate their adoption. This paper describes recent progress and identifies the most important next steps.