Updated*: California's Over-Regulation of Auto Industry to Kill Jeep Wrangler?
California's Air Resources Board (CARB) is setting difficult goals in it's Cool Cars regulations. Turns out it might just help Jeep sales.
There was a rumor going around recently that CARB (the California Air Resources Board) would in essence ban "black" cars because of their natural tendency to trap heat inside and thus require more "energy" to cool the car. As one would expect, I didn't see any mention of how that would work in cold climates where heating would require less energy because of the black car's ability to keep heat in. I've been assured by Dimitri Stanich from arb.ca.gov that that is not the case and that black cars would not be banned.
There was also a rumor saying it's going to do more than affect the use of "dark hue's" in car color; the process, it is said, could hinder many of the electronic devices we use in our vehicles, such as GPS units, cell phones and others that rely on an outside signal. I would give that more credibility considering the obvious reduction in radio reception I got after tinting a rear window that had a built-in antenna. We'll have to look in to that "rumor" as well.
In the mean time, CARBs latest regulation requires automakers to build cars with windows that block nearly 50% of the suns energy from entering a vehicle by 2014, and 60% by 2016. For the Jeep Wrangler soft-top, that's going to be impossible. The reflective properties that are required to meet the standards cannot be applied to the soft windows in the Jeep Wranger, which would effectively kill sales of those vehicles in California. Luckily the rumors have been discounted and the Cool Cars regulations are exempting the soft vinyl windows on the Jeep Wrangler.
What does that mean for Jeep Wrangler sales? Well, if the window coatings are affecting performance of electronics (that we happily depend on) and soft-top vinyl windows like those found in the Jeep are exempt, that would be a selling point for Jeeps and could literally increase sales. I'm just saying.Read more about the CARB Cool Carsregulations and please let us know your thoughts on this latest round of peculiarities.
Image © Matt Finley
Our regulation will do neither. Soft tops are exempt from the rule. Here is an FAQ explaining the details: http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/coolcarsfaq.pdf .
Dimitri, thanks for the link. I was in the process of researching for the effects of “your” regulation on electronic devices when I discovered Jeep soft-tops were exempt. I’ll be sure to investigate more thoroughly next time, perhaps even consult you.
I hope this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and that the auto companies simply stop selling cars in the State of California. I really hope they do. It is time to stop obeying these destructive regulations and tell these over zealous, self-righteous, busybody, nanny statist, bureaucrat scum where to go.