Starting next year, new vehicles being sold in the state of California will display window stickers that rate the vehicles “environmental performance.” The stickers will rate the vehicles from 1-10 (a low score being a bad score) on how much it contributes to global warming and smog. Average new cars are expected to get a 5 on both scales, the cleanest ones will get 10s.

“This label will arm consumers with the information they need to choose a vehicle that saves gas, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps fight smog all at once,” said Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board.

California requirements for the automotive industry have often pre-dated federal ones. Honestly we feel this will make it harder for dealers selling gas-guzzling models to move vehicles out of the showroom.

Late last year, Congress passed an energy bill requiring the EPA to setup a rating system that would display the fuel-economy and greenhouse gas and other emissions of the car at the point of purchase. The point is to tell consumers which cars have the lowest greenhouse gas emission while having the highest fuel-economy.

Source: Detroit News