California’s Air Resources Board withdrew its stringent mandates for vehicles with zero-emissions, in favor of hybrids that are charged with mainly electricity.

California is the biggest and most important car market in the world.  In fact, over 2 million vehicles are purchased in the state every year. Consequently, the most new car warranties and auto loans are also sold there. Its pollution stance has had an influence on countries all over the world.  For the last 18 years, the board has required GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and VW to up production and sales of zero-emissions cars.

Auto manufacturers have tried to fight the rules, which are, and have been tough.  They were developed originally to put out 25,000 zero-emissions vehicles between 2012 and 2014, however the board realized that this is an impractical goal.  Now, carmakers have been offered a 70% cut in the original figure, with a new requirement to produce 7,500 zero-emissions cars.

In exchange, manufacturers must produce 58,000 hybrids that are plug-in in that same period of time.  If they do this, they must in addition produce 25,000 zero-emission cars between 2015 and 2017.