Hi Sdctcher:

___Before placing the cart before the horse, you really want to get clean fuel (Low Sulfur) mandated first. This not only allows PZEV’s to perform as SULEV’s but in turn helps many LEV’s to be ULEV’s, and ULEV’s to become ULEV-II’s. Fortunately for all, LS gasoline is going to go nationwide in late 06 by all accounts. Once the transition is complete, let the PZEV’s arrive in full force.

___Now, PZEV emissions controls and the resultant longer warranties are a slight up charge in the clean states and there is no reason that Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, BMW, Subaru, etc. would not bring them to Washington State but that does not mean they will. This is the part where your actions with some political backing might make a difference. IIRC, the way PZEV’s were mandated in CA. was the ZEV mandate of 10% of all cars by 2004 or 2007 or whatever it was? The automobile manufacturers where ready to trade pollution credits or proceed in manufacturing 10% of their automobiles as ZEV’s by whatever date. Since it was a poor mandate (ZEV’s are charged from mostly COAL fired power plants), the mandate was revoked with some court action but the PZEV std’s. resulted. You will have to do some digging over at ARB to see if what I am saying is entirely correct but this is the way the PZEV std. started IIRC.

___So where do we go from here? The Federal std. has one upped the SULEV-II std. with its Tier II Bin setup. Currently, the lowest emission Escape HEV is a PZEV (SULEV-II w/ PZE’s) but only receives a Tier II/Bin 4 rating per the new Federal guideline. The Prius II is a PZEV (SULEV-II w/ PZE’s) as well but receives a Tier II/Bin 3 rating. The 05 HCH and non-hybrid Accord PZEV’s (SULEV-II’s w/ PZE’s) are rated at Tier II/Bin 2 nationwide. This is the best emissions rating there is. What is up to you is to see to it that the Washington State Government follows MA., ME., NY., and VT.’s lead in creating a CARB like PZEV mandate. This will force the automakers to allow PZEV’s of all makes into your state. I do not know what they did to make this happen other then the EPA declaring their states missing emissions targets but PZEV’s are now commonly sold in these 4 Northeastern states as well.

___Please respond back into this thread at your earliest convenience as I too would like to see PZEV’s offered here in Illinois given we actually have some of the worst HS fuel (> 500 ppm at some stations) in NA and I am looking forward to the day this garbage fuel disappears and PZEV’s become as common place as they are in CA.!

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net