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On a recent run from Boston to Cape Cod, I test drove the 2008 Honda Accord, the latest version of this family favorite. The new Accord boasts an environmental first: a six-cylinder gasoline engine that's cleaner than many hybrid systems.

There's only one catch: You can't actually buy this ultra-green Accord, or the four-cylinder version that also produces near-zero pollution. That is, unless you live in California, New York or six other northeast states that follow California's tougher pollution rules. Only there can you buy this Accord, or the roughly two dozen other models that meet so-called Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle standards, PZEV for short.

Not only can't you buy one, but the government says it's currently illegal for automakers to sell these green cars outside of the special states. Under terms of the Clean Air Act—in the kind of delicious irony only our government can pull off—anyone (dealer, consumer, automaker) involved in an out-of-bounds PZEV sale could be subject to civil fines of up to $27,500.

it's time we get a national standard for emissions etc. and fine and withhold federal highway money from states that enact their own standards.

it's bad enough we are legislating diesels out of our country because of them, but now we care creating a whole legion of cars you can't buy or drive all across the usa. that is wrong and it costs everyone far too much money.

Then again, so what if Honda or others lose a few million at first? Toyota clearly went into the red on every Prius it sold in the early years, but shrewdly viewed that cash as an investment to create buzz and build a loyal following. Today, Toyota dealers can barely keep the Prius in stock—and the company has surrounded itself with a green halo that's priceless.

As often as automakers express envy and resentment over Toyota's image, you might think Honda would be filming TV ads, erecting billboards, shouting from rooftops that the Accord is the world's cleanest six-cylinder car. In the green game that Toyota has played like a chess master, it seems like this is a lost opportunity for Honda, Nissan and the rest to siphon off some of Toyota's goodwill.

So give Honda's talented engineers credit for this clean-burning Accord. But give its marketing department a big, smoggy raspberry for keeping it a virtual secret—and keeping it off-limits to buyers in 42 states.

we need to make a law saying cars can be sold and driven in all 50 states, to protect resale values and owner investments. this is bull$h!. no special emmissions laws for anyone.

or, slap a 5,000 clean air tax per car on any car sold in states with special emmissions standards that go upon epa/federal or any car that is for sale in only those 8 states, and make those funds go to developing a national infrastructure of electricity recharge and hydrogen/alternate fuels refueling stations.

Edited September 3, 200717 yr by regfootball

The obvious solution is to make all of the cars to the California standard and not manufacture the high pollution cars. Honda and Toyota do this on many of their models already.

as long as its one standard and it's not expensive for everyone.

One federal standard would be just fine. Adopting California's standards - not so much.

California needs to get out of the business of setting emission standards.

California should've considered a little thing called urban planning before imposing their draconian regulations on everyone. Our federal stadards already meet/exceed European and Japanese requirements.

These PZEV cars are all voluntary, not the result of higher CA standards.

California should've considered a little thing called urban planning before imposing their draconian regulations on everyone. Our federal stadards already meet/exceed European and Japanese requirements.

x2

i say withhold highway money if states get out of line on this.

make all of the cars to the California standard and not manufacture the high pollution cars thats the strong point!

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