On Wednesday, March 26, 2008 PlugInAmerica.org, RAN.org, Tesla Motors, R. James Woolsey (former CIA Director), PlugInBayArea.org, Sierra Club California, and Electric Vehicle enthusiasts held a Press Conference and Rally in front of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which has its offices in Sacramento at the California EPA building (1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA). The purpose was to inspire Governor Arnold Schwarznegger and CARB Chair Mary Nichols to support Electric Vehicles and not reduce the number of Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) in California's historic ZEV mandate which dates back to 1990. We all want zero emission electric cars on the road and we want them YESTERDAY!

Remember that by 2003 the CARB ZEV mandate had promised that 10% of all vehicles sold in California were to be Zero Emission Vehicles. This would have resulted in 2 million plus Zero Emission Vehicles added to California's vehicle fleet every year. At the March 22, 2003 ZEV Mandate hearing CARB buckled under pressure from auto manufacturers along with a conflict of interest by then current CARB chair Alan C. Lloyd (who was also presiding over the newly formed California Fuel Cell Partnership) to postpone the requirement for ZEVs to 2014. The 2003 ammendment resulted in the killing of the Electric Car with the delivery promise of Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles by 2014. The number of ZEVs required by 2014 was slashed to just 25,000. Going into the Thursday, March 27, 2008 CARB ZEV hearing CARB was planning to amend the ZEV mandate further by slashing the number of ZEVs required by 2014 to a paltry 2,500. The purpose of the rally was to voice Plug In America's and EV enthusiasts opinion that the number of ZEVs should not be reduced. If anything, the United States requires tens of millions of ZEVs on the road by 2014 if we have any hope of improving our national security, lessening our dependence on oil, and reducing our global warming impact. California has been spending millions of dollars on their Hydrogen Highway. Where is there any mention of an "Electric Highway" and Battery EVs given that the infrastructure is already deployed (every business, home, street light is connected to the electrical grid)?

On the following day Thursday, March 27, 2008 CARB held an all day public hearing to amend the ZEV mandate. You can read a synopsis of what transpired at the hearing by viewing Plug In America's CARB clean car mandate summary here. Also click here (link to be available soon) to view and hear public testimony delivered to the California Air Resources Board.

"Father" of the Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) Professor Andy Frank
(Photo courtesy of Daniel Davids)

Dr. Frank on PHEVs at Brightcove.TV - Drive for free on Photovoltaic Solar Power!

Dr. Frank discusses one of his PHEV projects, a Plug-In Hybrid Suburban. (YouTube)

Dr. Andrew Frank's UC Davis vehicle design group is nicknamed TEAM FATE after the 1960's feature film The Great Race,
in which Professor Fate continuously strives to thwart his opposition, never giving up, never surrendering.

Dr. Frank's Efficient Drivetrains Inc.

Dr. Frank on NOVA

Dr. Andrew Frank on EAA-PHEV.org Wiki

Dr. Andrew Frank on Wikipedia

Plug In America's Super Team: President Linda Nicholes & Executive Director Chelsea Sexton
(Photo courtesy of RAN.org - RAN's Flickr PIA CARB Rally Pix)