Well, since the cars are not MADE in the Bay Area, the cradle to grave emissions are much less important for the air in the Bay area than is the "delivery to dealership to grave" emissions, right?

And as far as a "spike" after autostop, that's not an appropriate deficit to apply to Hybrids because ALL cars would emit exhaust at acceleration from a stop equally, not in equal amounts of course. But a non-Hybrid Civic or a Hybrid Civic accelerating from a stop are going to be pretty equal in emissions - it doesn't cost more fuel thus more emissions to start an HCH from a stop than it does a regular Civic.

Understandably, California is of course a leader in government attempts to clean the air, and has been for decades. But you cannot CREDIT one part of the program that is helping (the PZEV, SULEV initiatives) and then in the same breath DISCREDIT another helpful part of the program (Hybrids.)

So, yes, there is not a doubt that many of the non-Hybrids are doing a good job in helping clean the air. Yet to think that the Hybrids are not helpful in that effort is incorrect.