4月22日地球日到來之際，美國汽車製造業聯盟（Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers）表示，未來十年，汽車製造業者將以終結廢氣（virtually eliminate）為目標，持續減少小客車的煙霧形成污染物（smog-forming emissions）排放，即使這可能讓道路上的車輛越來越多，人們交通距離也將變得更長。
創立於華盛頓特區，產業倡導團體美國汽車製造業聯盟由12家主要汽車製造商組成。聯盟17日的聲明表示，「預期在2030年之前，車輛的煙霧形成污染物排放達到可忽略等級。」
「清潔汽車（clean car）的概念普遍受到認可，當越來越多顧客購買具備進階排放控制系統的新型車輛，我們的進展將會更加快速。」美國汽車製造業聯盟表示。
聯盟詳述了評斷自動車潔淨空氣進展的策略：
- 在2025年之前，客車的碳氫化合物（hydrocarbon）與氮氧化合物（nitrogen oxides）煙霧形成排放，自排放控制開始將減少99.8%。美國首度立法規範廢氣排放，是加州針對州內售出的1966年式車款（model year）訂定的標準，接著成為美國全國規範的1968年式車款標準，並依環保署的要求而逐年提高。
- 比起其他人為來源，汽車製造業者將更有效率地減少地面臭氧排放。美國汽車製造業聯盟表示，在2030年之前，估計人為因素將減少63%的碳氫化合物排放，而平路車將減少96%的排放量。
- 比起1970年產生近乎30%的所有臭氧前驅物（ozone precursor），平路機動來源在2017年之前將僅產生6.5%的排放。臭氧前驅物是多種化合物，包括（carbon monoxide）、甲烷（methane）、揮發性有機化合物（volatile organic compounds） 及氮氧化合物，在陽光照射下與其他化合物反應形成地面臭氧或煙霧。
- 在2030年之前，預期機動車輛僅產出3.3%的全球煙霧形成汙染物排放總量。
- 如果排除中型與大型卡車，僅考慮自小客車，煙霧形成汙染物的排放更加少量。聯盟表示，預期在2030年之前，汽車與輕型卡車僅產生1.2%的煙霧形成汙染物排放量。
美國汽車製造業聯盟總部設立於華盛頓特區，成員包括寶馬集團（the BMW Group）、飛雅特克萊斯勒（Fiat Chrysler）、福特（Ford）、通用汽車（General Motors）、捷豹路虎（Jaguar Land Rover）、馬自達（Mazda）、賓士美國分公司（Mercedes-Benz USA）、三菱汽車（Mitsubishi Motors）、保時捷（Porsche）、豐田（Toyota）、福斯汽車美國公司（Volkswagen Group of America）及沃爾沃汽車北美公司（Volvo Cars North America），佔美國所有汽車與輕型卡車77%的銷售。
As Earth Day approaches on April 22, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says automakers are on track to “virtually eliminate” smog-forming emissions from passenger vehicles in the next decade – even with more cars on the road and people travelling more miles.
Based in Washington, DC, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry advocacy group that includes 12 major automakers, says that by 2030 “ozone-forming emissions from autos are expected to approach negligible levels.”
Looking ahead, by 2030 passenger cars will contribute just over one percent of ozone emissions from all sources of smog, the Alliance said today in a statement.
“Clean cars are here to stay, and as more consumers buy new vehicles with advanced emissions control systems, we will progress even faster,” the group said.
On Thursday the Alliance detailed five measures by which it judges clean air progress in automobiles.
1. By 2025, smog-forming emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from passenger vehicles will have dropped 99.8 percent since emissions controls began.
The first exhaust emission standards were legislated by the State of California for 1966 model year cars sold in that state, followed by the United States as a whole in model year 1968. The standards were tightened year by year, as mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
2. Automakers have reduced ground-level ozone faster than other human sources. By 2030 on-road vehicles are projected to reduce hydrocarbon emissions by about 96 percent compared to reductions of about 63 percent from all human sources, the Alliance said.
3. By 2017 on-road mobile sources will contribute just 6.5 percent of all ozone precursors, down from almost 30 percent in 1970, said the Alliance.
Ozone precursors are chemical compounds such as carbon monoxide, methane, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide, which in the presence of sunlight react with other chemical compounds to form ground-level ozone, or smog.
4. By 2030 motor vehicles are expected to contribute only 3.3 percent of all smog-forming emissions entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
5. If only passenger vehicles are considered, excluding medium and heavy trucks, their smog-forming emissions are even smaller, said the Alliance. By 2030 cars and light trucks are projected to contribut only 1.2 percent of all smog-forming emissions.
Members of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers represent 77 percent of all car and light truck sales in the United States. The Alliance includes: the BMW Group, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz USA, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen Group of America and Volvo Cars North America.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Alliance also has offices in Sacramento, California and Detroit, Michigan.
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