Shocking News For Electric Vehicles

Next to none. That’s what Honda Motor Co. said Monday is the pollution from an extremely clean gasoline engine - coming close to California’s stringent standards for ultra-low emissions vehicles.

The invention could “drive a stake through the heart of the electric vehicle,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific, Inc. in Santa Ana, Calif. But first Honda would have to convince the California Air Resources Board that the new engine can meet the state’s standard.

The engine cuts emissions with two catalytic converters.

The devices trap more pollutants in all three steps of engine operation, from cold start through warm-up to normal operation, the company said.

Honda is calling the technology a Zero-Level Emission Vehicle, although it is actually not zero-emission like electric cars.

“I think this shows what can be contributed toward clean air and does it with a gasoline vehicle. In the long term this offers the greatest potential impact toward air quality and improving gasoline engine vehicles,” said Ben Knight, Honda vice president for research and development.