for cleaner air, a cleaner car - air cleaner

FEB.
1994 this is a digital version of an article from The Times Print Archive, before it starts online in 1996.
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This morning, a small group of people from 12 eastern states and the Columbia District will meet at a hotel in Washington to make important decisions for the environment, consumers and the automotive industry.
They are members of the Ozone Transport Committee, established under the Clean Air Act 1990, which aims to find regional solutions to air pollution problems in the eastern coastal areas.
On the table is a proposal strongly opposed by the auto industry.
If approved by the Commission and EPA, it will require all 12 states and D. C.
Adopt California's tough plan to clean cars.
California plans to cut gasoline emissions
Fuel cars than the Clean Air Act.
But even more frightening for Detroit is another task: the gradual introduction of electric vehicles, starting with 2% new cars sold in California in 1998 and climbing to 10% in 2003.
Industry insiders said that the requirements of electric vehicles is unrealistic.
But eastern states should say yes to the California program ".
They account for 40% of the American car market, California.
In fact, 40% of the market will dictate demand for electric vehicles, which will give the industry an ongoing incentive to invest a lot of money in the next leap in automotive technology.
Some of the concerns in the advertising industry are understandable.
The technology of electric vehicles is primitive: Small cars traveling 150 miles cost more than $35,000.
There is no obvious market, and there is no means of mass production.
Detroit also proposed building for the same low. emission gas-
It now makes power cars for California.
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But many governors say they cannot meet federal clean air standards as long as cities are blocked by gasDriving a vehicle.
Detroit's technical prowess has made the cars 95% cleaner than they were 20 years ago.
Still, cars and trucks account for nearly half of the city's smog.
With the passage of years, there will be more people on the road.
Industry insiders also believe that "innovation cannot be legislated. " True.
But clever regulations that set overall goals and allow manufacturers to find their own solutions inspire amazing results: unleaded gasoline, catalytic converters, and cleaner reformulated fuels, for example.
In every case, there are a lot of people in the automotive and oil industries who say this is not possible.
The last reason the eastern states adopt the California standard is that they are not static.
California officials will monitor technological advances and market forces.
If the conditions are wrong before 1998, the deadline will be postponed.
But even a flexible authorization will keep the manufacturer working on this ---
It's not just the big three, there's a lot of small heights --
Might see tech companies in markets not available in Detroit.
A version of this editorial was printed on page A00016 of the National edition on February 1, 1994, titled: clean air, clean cars.