California Banning Black Cars to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Posted on April 11th, 2009 in California | No Comments » |

In another bizarre case of global warming paranoia, California legislators may soon restrict sales of black cars in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions. The measure is aimed at reducing carbon-dioxide emissions by at least 20%, improve fuel economy by keeping vehicles cooler on sunny days, and decreasing the amount of time drivers use their air conditioners. Initiative from the California Air Resources Board stated that the climate control systems of dark colored cars tend to work harder than light colored cars, especially if it has been sitting in the sun too long. Their solution is to get automakers use a special type of phase-in architectural heat reflecting paints on dark color automobiles by 2016. Similar legislation for skyscrapers and buildings has proven successful at reducing energy consumption in the past. This assumption may be accurate, but there’s just one problem.

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“The theory when (CARB) started this was you take the pigments used in buildings and put them into car paints. That’s a good theory; unfortunately it doesn’t quite work that easily. When the proper pigments and chemicals are added to black paint, the resulting color is currently being referred to as “mud-puddle brown.” That doesn’t sound very attractive, now does it?” said Connie Poulsen, global director and product manager of a large architectural paintings company PPG.

In other words, all new cars produce and sold in California after 2016 will look like a dark piece of poop with an engine on it. So buy a black car now because they might not be available in 2016.

Big thanks to Mike Duncan for sharing this wonderful story with us.

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