California emissions …

2942 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Tim Maddux, Feb 13, 2004

Discussion Starter · Feb 8, 2004

Hi All:

___Given the Insight has even better emissions in California and its neighboring states as well as some of the North Eastern portions of the US, is it just the low sulfur fuel that achieves the better results or is their a difference between the engines and Cat’s available from the different areas?

00 Insight 5-speed California and Clean states: 12.3 – 12.9 #’s of smog forming emissions/15K miles[/*:m:8p0np5kb]
00 Insight 5-speed most other states besides California: 7.9 – 11.8 #’s of smog forming emissions/15K miles[/*:m:8p0np5kb]

___This is common among many vehicles but the EPA is very vague as to how the lower emissions are achieved. Is it only because of the LS fuel available or is their also enhanced emission HW able to take advantage of California’s and other states LS fuel?

___I have been reading up on the attributes of many automobiles on the EPA Green Vehicle Guide over the last year or two but have never read exactly why the differences between California and most everywhere else. It would seem to be an expensive proposition to equip just California vehicles with HW not available in any other state is all.

___Thanks in advance.

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:8p0np5kb][email protected][/email:8p0np5kb]

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Tim Maddux

· #2 · Feb 8, 2004

Wayne, try digging here. Those Eastern states that are blue (or white) like CA have adopted CA's air-quality testing standards/rules, while others have not, and while I was pretty sure the only difference was the fuel I'm not so sure after reading these links:

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer.htm#CrossborderSales

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Tim Maddux

· #7 · Feb 10, 2004

No carpool lane sticker for hybrids:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/faq.htm

"... in most cases, using a higher octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner."
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/octane.htm

I have done extensive tank-by-tank tests on flat highway between Ventura, CA and Santa Barbara, CA and found no difference in MPG or performance between regular and premium gasoline. Others on the Yahoo! forums did dyno tests and found (IIRC) no improvement in vehicle power output.

I don't agree with Armin about the ratings. ULEV was created in California but was adopted by the Feds as part of the "Tier 2" standards which were voluntary in 2001 and are rolling in mandatory starting this year.

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Tim Maddux

· #10 · Feb 13, 2004

SeanW said:
I always understood that the carpool lanes were to reduce congestion not pollution.

Yes, however EVs and some other vehicles that do not run on gasoline can get HOV access with only one person in the car. So there is a bit of a pollution consideration. Just not for the Insight -- there are SULEV SUV's out there as well.

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