California Black Car Ban Rumours Untrue

A recent document issued by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) focusing on cars and the environment has proved a controversial issue.  The document seemed to intimate that – as a measure aimed at halting the pace of climate change - black-painted cars could no longer be sold in California.  This thought, however, was subsequently rejected by CARB itself, which described it as “completely fallacious”.

In order to fully understand the situation, it is necessary to examine the backdrop to it, which takes us back to 2006.

California Global Warming Solutions Act

Three years ago, California embraced AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act. 

This law implemented a detailed, long-term climate change goal based on cutting down emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases to their 1990 levels over the next decade-and-a-half.  Within this, a measure known as Cool Paints was introduced, on the basis it be put in place by the beginning of 2010.  Cool Paints focused on ways of lessening the build-up of heat in stationary vehicles, so that, when the vehicle was activated, it would be cooler, so the driver would be less likely to switch on the car’s air conditioning system – air conditioning being a feature that decreases fuel efficiency and leads to greater exhaust emissions.

Cool Paints for Cars

The Cool Paints for cars measure featured in the recent CARB document, which proposed that California should mandate a new standard for car solar reflectivity levels.  In other words, cars should not be allowed to take in more than a certain level of heat.  It had been estimated that the majority of vehicles with reflective paint schemes parked in California could be kept as much as ten degrees Centigrade cooler if this scheme was adopted. 

On the subject of black paints, however, the document wrote that “jet black remains an issue” – a statement picked up on as a suggestion that cars of this colour would no longer be tolerated in California.

While a number of news organisations sensationalised the story, CARB’s response was swift and incisive.  “It’s completely fallacious”, CARB spokesman Stanley Young stated, adding: “at no time was it mentioned, contemplated or proposed that we would ban or restrict any colour.”

It had been reported that CARB was contemplating legislating that all cars in California be painted with a special type of high-reflectivity paint, which would lower heat absorption across the board.  However, the black issue made this non-viable so, instead, the board chose to go with another plan, involving the application of a transparent coat to car windows.

It was anticipated that the price of this window application would be up to $50 per car, with the aim of helping achieve the 1990-levels-by-2020 fuel emissions target. 

Enviro-News will report further on the implementation of this scheme as future facts emerge.