An
ultra low emission vehicle is a
vehicleA vehicle is a mechanical means of conveyance, a carriage or transport. Most often they are manufactured , although some other means of transport which are not made by humans also may be called vehicles; examples include icebergs and floating tree trunks.Vehicles may be propelled or pulled by...
that emits extremely low levels of air pollutants compared to other vehicles. The term may be used in a general sense, but in some
jurisdictionJurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility.Alternatively, jurisdiction is the authority given...
s it is defined in
lawLaw is a system of rules, usually enforced through a set of institutions. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a primary social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus ticket to trading on derivatives markets...
; low and ultra low emission vehicles may be given
taxTo tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law.Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
or other advantages, while high emission vehicles may suffer restrictions or additional taxation.
A
ULEV or Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle is a vehicle that has been verified by the
Air Resources BoardThe California Air Resources Board, also known as is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, the ARB is a department within the cabinet-level...
of
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, USA to emit 50% less
polluting emissionsPollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms . Pollution can take the form of chemical substances, or energy, such as noise, heat, or light...
than the average for new cars released in that model year.
An
ultra low emission vehicle is a
vehicleA vehicle is a mechanical means of conveyance, a carriage or transport. Most often they are manufactured , although some other means of transport which are not made by humans also may be called vehicles; examples include icebergs and floating tree trunks.Vehicles may be propelled or pulled by...
that emits extremely low levels of air pollutants compared to other vehicles. The term may be used in a general sense, but in some
jurisdictionJurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility.Alternatively, jurisdiction is the authority given...
s it is defined in
lawLaw is a system of rules, usually enforced through a set of institutions. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a primary social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus ticket to trading on derivatives markets...
; low and ultra low emission vehicles may be given
taxTo tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law.Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
or other advantages, while high emission vehicles may suffer restrictions or additional taxation.
In California
A
ULEV or Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle is a vehicle that has been verified by the
Air Resources BoardThe California Air Resources Board, also known as is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, the ARB is a department within the cabinet-level...
of
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, USA to emit 50% less
polluting emissionsPollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms . Pollution can take the form of chemical substances, or energy, such as noise, heat, or light...
than the average for new cars released in that model year. The ULEV is one of a number of designations given by the CARB to signify the level of emissions that car-buyers can expect their new vehicle to produce and forms part of a whole range of designations, listed here in order of decreasing emissions:
TLEV:
Transitional Low Emission Vehicle. This is the least stringent emissions standard in California. TLEVs are phased out as of 2004.
LEV:
Low Emission Vehicle. All new cars sold in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
starting in 2004 have at least a LEV emissions rating.
SULEV:
Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle. SULEVs are 90% cleaner than the average new model year car.
PZEV:
Partial Zero Emission Vehicle.
PZEVs meet SULEV tailpipe emission standards, have zero evaporative emissions and a 15 year / 150,000 mile warranty on its emission control components. No evaporative emissions means no unburnt fuel escapes from the fueling system.
AT PZEV:
Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle.
AT PZEVs meet the PZEV requirements and have additional "ZEV-like" characteristics. A dedicated
compressed natural gasCompressed Natural Gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane fuel. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill .CNG is made by compressing...
vehicle, or a
hybrid vehicleA hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
with engine emissions that meet the PZEV standards would be an AT PZEV.
ZEVA zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
-
Zero Emission Vehicle.
ZEVs have zero tailpipe emissions and are 98% cleaner than the average new model year vehicle. These include battery
electric vehicleAn electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, is a vehicle which uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. Depending on the type of vehicle, motion may be provided by wheels or propellers driven by rotary motors, or in the case of tracked vehicles, by linear motors...
s and
hydrogenHydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly flammable diatomic gas with the molecular formula H
2...
fuel cellA fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that produces electricity from a replenishable fuel tank. The electricity is generated through the reaction, triggered in the presence of an electrolyte, between the fuel and an oxidant . The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of...
vehicles.
External links