pzev update (or, vindication)

a while ago i ranted about subaru's partial-zero emissions vehicle as a marketing ploy, because anyone who has gone through high school math and still has half a brain should remember that there is no such thing as partial zero. i wrote it off as a marketing ploy. apparently, it's not really: it's more a shameful cowing to pressure from detroit by the state of california, according to click and clack's column in the "drive" section of today's sacramento bee. i couldn't find a link online for the sac bee, but since it's a syndicated column, here is a link to the washington post reprint of the article. they even note that there is nothing like partial zero, so i know i'm not crazy. (anal retentive and something of a stickler fr details; wrong, no.) they also note that our lovely state of california wanted to be so much better than the epa standards, so they mandated so many zero emissions vehicles by such-and-such a date. carmakers whined and howled and apparently california slunk away with its tail between its legs and meekly allowed fewer zero-emissions vehicles - and called them partial-zero emissions vehicles to save face.

when i wrote that post, i kind of thought in the back of my mind that i was a little nutty. now i don't feel so nutty. man, i love being right.