Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

Washington Motor Vehicle Emissions Standards

In 2005 the Washington State Legislature adopted the California motor vehicle emissions standards, which will reduce air pollution from motor vehicles, provide a wider range of clean vehicles to Washington consumers, and save Puget Sound region and state residents billions of dollars over the next two decades.

The new motor vehicle emission standards require auto manufacturers to use more stringent emission controls on a wider range of their vehicles than the federal regulations. These are the only motor vehicle standards that can be adopted by states in lieu of the federal motor vehicle standards.

Reduce Toxic and Global Warming Air Pollution

The new standards will:

  • Reduce greenhouse gas pollutants from new motor vehicles by 30 percent by 2016,1 and

  • Reduce air toxic pollutants up to 20 percent by 2020.2

The new standards will reduce air pollution from motor vehicles beyond the federal standards. Motor vehicles emit over half of the greenhouse gases, the pollution that causes global warming, and cancer-causing air pollutants in the Puget Sound region and our state.

Savings for Puget Sound and Washington State Citizens

  • It’s estimated that the new motor vehicle standards will save Puget Sound region consumers $1.1 billion in reduced fuel costs by 2020.

  • Washington state residents will save over $2 billion dollars by 2020.3

  • These savings are a direct result of the reduced fuel use and lower operating costs over the lifetime of the vehicle. They far outweigh the increase in the initial vehicle price.4

More Consumer Choice in Cars and Light Duty Trucks

By adopting the California standards, Washington consumers will have access to a variety of clean vehicle models. These cars:

  • Have better emission controls and 15-year, 150,000-mile emission performance warranties;

  • Come from nearly all manufacturers, in every price range, and include cars from Ford, Toyota, BMW, Volvo, Subaru, Nissan, Chrysler and more; and5

  • Appear and perform the same or better than the cars available in Washington, but they are cleaner.

Almost 30 of these cleaner models are currently available, and many more will be available by 2009. More than 50 percent of all vehicles sold after 2010 will meet these cleaner standards and have enhanced warranties.

Benefits for Washington Auto Dealers

  • The ultra-clean California cars also have longer emission warranties, which mean more warranty work in dealer’s shops.6

  • Washington auto dealers could also benefit by increased vehicle sales. Idaho dealers currently sell vehicles to Washington residents. Since Idaho is not likely to adopt California motor vehicle standards, they will not have priority on these low-emitting vehicles. Current sales lost to Idaho should come back to Washington dealers.

  • Car dealerships in New York and other states that have already adopted the California program, report brisk sales and few hassles. According to the sales manager at a BMW dealership in New York, "There have been no hiccups whatsoever. It's all been very smooth, and the cars are selling just fine."7

Promote Washington State Businesses

  • Washington companies such as Intel, AFS, Innovatek and Toray Composites could benefit from increasing the market for emissions-related electronics.

  • Recent economic analyses conducted by Calstart shows significant benefits to California companies who provide advanced electronics for the new low emitting vehicles.8

  • Consumers will have additional money to spend on other Washington goods and services with the savings from reduced fuel use. California estimates their greenhouse gas standards will increase personal income by $5.3 billion and increase jobs by 55,000 by 2020.9

A winning strategy

Washington citizens will enjoy cleaner air and dramatically reduced CO2 emissions from cars. Consumers will save fuel and operating costs, which will outweigh the slightly increased car prices.

Consumers will also benefit from enhanced warranties and greater choice of clean vehicles, including more of the popular hybrid vehicles. These vehicles will be directed here instead of only to the seven states currently opting into California standards. Independent research has demonstrated that auto makers have consistently been able to meet emission control regulations cost effectively without damaging markets.10

For more information, please contact our climate change specialist, Leslie Stanton.

1 California Air Resources Board. Fact Sheet: Climate Change Emission Controls Regulation. Dec. 10, 2004 (PDF 0.1MB).
2 Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management. White Paper: Comparing the Emissions Reductions of LEV II Program to the Tier 2 Program. Prepared by Cambridge Systematics, October 2003.
3 Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Climate Protection Advisory Committee. Roadmap for Climate Protection: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Puget Sound (PDF 5.4MB). Prepared by the Facilitator, Ross and Associates. December 29, 2004.
4 California Air Resources Board. Draft Technology and Cost Assessment for Proposed Regulations to Reduce Vehicle Climate Change Emissions Pursuant to Assembly Bill 1493. Mobile Source Control Division. April 20, 2004.
5 California Air Resources Board. Mobile Source Program.
6 Over 50 percent of California’s fleet will be partial zero emitting vehicles or hybrids with manufacturers required to provide 10 year 150,000 mile emission performance warranties.
7 Gurney, K. N.Y. car dealers vouch for new clean-air law. Philadelphia Enquirer. Jan. 21, 2004.
8 Calstart. California’s Clean Vehicle Industry. 2004
9 California Air Resources Board. Technical Support Document for Staff Proposal Regarding Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Motor Vehicles. Economic Impacts of the Climate Change Regulations. Aug. 6, 2004.
10 Sperling, Daniel et al. The Price of Regulation. University of California at Davis: Access. Volume 25, Fall 2004 (PDF 2.6MB).