California wants its cars to use half as much gas by 2030. Is it possible? - Grist
But after the excitement of the test drive, reality set in. The Camry, which had to be fixed after failing a smog test, will keep its place at her Stockton home. That in turn creates challenges for slashing gasoline and diesel use, a goal state leaders are championing as part of their battle against climate change. A bill that has passed the state senate and awaits a vote in the assembly seeks to halve the amount of petroleum used in motor vehicles by 2030. It will be difficult to accomplish in such a short period. “If we’re talking about transportation petroleum use, then the goal probably isn’t possible,” said John German, a Michigan-based senior fellow with the International Council on Clean Transportation. A key problem, he said, is that people hold onto cars and trucks for a long time, an average of more than 11 years for American cars. Jerry Brown, who earlier this year called for the state to cut petroleum use in cars and trucks by “up to 50 percent. ” Senate Bill 350 contains an unequivocal 50 percent target. “I wouldn’t set forth on this pathway if I believed that the targets were unrealistic,” said Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), the bill’s powerful. Source: grist.org
