[pawarrant]

California ‘Cool’ Paints Initiative Ugly, Lazy

If California regulators get their way, auto makers may soon be forced to rewrite a cliché from the Ford Model T era and start telling customers they can have any color they want as long as it isn’t black.

Some darker hues will be available in place of black, but right now they are indentified internally at paint suppliers with names such as “mud-puddle brown” and are truly ugly substitutes for today’s rich ebony hues.

So buy a black car now, because soon they won’t be available or will look so putrid you won’t want one. And that’s too bad, because paint suppliers say black is the second- or third-most popular vehicle color around the world.

The problem stems from a new “cool paints” initiative from the California Air Resources Board. CARB wants to mandate the phase-in of heat-reflecting paints on vehicle exteriors beginning with the ’12 model year, with all colors meeting a 20% reflectivity requirement by the ’16 model year.

Because about 17 other states tend to follow California’s regulatory lead, as many as 40% of the vehicles sold in the U.S. could be impacted by the proposed directive, suppliers say.

The measure is aimed at reducing carbon-dioxide emissions and improving fuel economy by keeping vehicles cooler on sunny days and decreasing the amount of time drivers use their air conditioners.

The rationale goes like this: Vehicle AC units sap engine power and hurt fuel economy. If vehicle paint and glass reflect more heat, car interiors will be cooler. That means drivers will use their AC units less, the compressors won’t have to work as hard and auto makers will be able to use smaller AC units in the future.

Reflective coatings and glazing (glass) already have proven to save energy when used on buildings, and this legislation is based on architectural standards.

On the surface, it’s not a bad idea, but fundamental issues reveal profoundly flawed legislation: Buildings and vehicles are manufactured and recycled differently, and no one buys a building based on its color.

Another troublesome fact: Heat-reflecting paints for black and other dark colors on vehicles have not been invented yet.

Paint suppliers also say heat-reflecting pigments that could be used in automotive applications contain toxic heavy metals that cause environmental damage and create health and safety issues during manufacturing and recycling.

At least one auto maker estimates the additional cost of using these paints at $100 per car, not counting required changes to assembly plant painting systems, which could be significant.

So far, auto makers are holding their tongues on this subject, but automotive paint suppliers, such as PPG Industries, are tearing their hair out.

“PPG obviously has a very large architectural division that paints lots of buildings,” says Connie Poulsen, global director-product management, at PPG. “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. Believe me, we tested it right away.”

“Requirements for color palettes are different, the process is different, the pigments used are different,” Poulsen says, adding that new automotive paint systems also have to undergo two years of rigorous testing before being approved for production. That’s yet another item government bureaucrats never considered – along with 3-year product lead times.

Some California rules are problematic because they are utopian and unworkable. This legislation is flat-out lazy. It’s a cut-and-paste job from the state building code that ignores smarter, more-effective automotive solutions already in production or on the way, such as more efficient AC units and solar-powered ventilation fans that work automatically when a car is parked in the sun.

Struggling auto makers and suppliers must not be forced to waste their limited resources on the cool paints initiative, an ill-informed wasteful boondoggle that embarrasses the environmental movement.

dwinter@wardsauto.com

http://wardsauto.com/commentary/cool...s_ugly_090324/

Liberals

[Draman]

Wow...CARB is getting a little out of control at this point

[ragingclue]

Wow.... Had to deal with CARB for years while modding my E36 M.... Spent hundreds, if not thousands extra just to have peace of mind that they "approved" of the deivces, even though it was pretty much extortion.

Banning a color completely is just ridiculous. I'd like to save the planet too, but banning black cars isn't going to fix anything. I'm honestly speechless after reading that article.

[Spec 1]

California lawmakers are dumb. These types of stupid ideas come up often but rarely pass.

[XYR03]

we should all just drive chrome cars then we'll all be reflecting everything haha!

[lib]

Removing the restrictions on tint would do a lot more than restricting the body color...

[c0nstant]

weepoast

[jimmy330xi]

Originally Posted by XYR03

we should all just drive chrome cars then we'll all be reflecting everything haha!

+1

[ragingclue]

It's weird how California tries so hard to be this earth-friendly eco-savior. CARB is BS. Half the state lives in the middle of deserts and everyone has the greenest lawns in the country. People water their lawns when it's 100 degrees outside. Everyone lives in excess but the state is mad broke. People complain when fires destroy their homes, even though it's a desert and that's what happens in the desert. If you don't want to get hit by a hurricane, don't live in Florida or on the Gulf Coast. If you don't want fires and earthquakes, don't live in the damn desert in California. Just because your neighborhood has grass doesn't mean you're not in the middle of the damn desert anymore.

Sorry.... I got a little carried away.

[Seminole]

Repost....

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244871

[wellwell]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

It's weird how California tries so hard to be this earth-friendly eco-savior. CARB is BS. Half the state lives in the middle of deserts and everyone has the greenest lawns in the country. People water their lawns when it's 100 degrees outside. Everyone lives in excess but the state is mad broke. People complain when fires destroy their homes, even though it's a desert and that's what happens in the desert. If you don't want to get hit by a hurricane, don't live in Florida or on the Gulf Coast. If you don't want fires and earthquakes, don't live in the damn desert in California. Just because your neighborhood has grass doesn't mean you're not in the middle of the damn desert anymore.

Sorry.... I got a little carried away.

+10000000..... why dont we just get a few folks to move out of CA. Maybe CARB wouldn't need to propose such drastic measures if there were fewer people driving cars. inland empire....

[dexter]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

It's weird how California tries so hard to be this earth-friendly eco-savior. CARB is BS. Half the state lives in the middle of deserts and everyone has the greenest lawns in the country. People water their lawns when it's 100 degrees outside. Everyone lives in excess but the state is mad broke. People complain when fires destroy their homes, even though it's a desert and that's what happens in the desert. If you don't want to get hit by a hurricane, don't live in Florida or on the Gulf Coast. If you don't want fires and earthquakes, don't live in the damn desert in California. Just because your neighborhood has grass doesn't mean you're not in the middle of the damn desert anymore.

Sorry.... I got a little carried away.

there is some funny truth to what you say, though californa is in the red right now, so is everyone else, and secondly california is the world's fifth largest economy. the only problem i have living here is that its a liberal state, and i am a republican, so when i see companieslike CARB i get really embarassed to say i live here

[Bluesummer]

eco friendly my ass
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HEADSHOP

[c0nstant]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

It's weird how California tries so hard to be this earth-friendly eco-savior. CARB is BS. Half the state lives in the middle of deserts and everyone has the greenest lawns in the country. People water their lawns when it's 100 degrees outside. Everyone lives in excess but the state is mad broke. People complain when fires destroy their homes, even though it's a desert and that's what happens in the desert. If you don't want to get hit by a hurricane, don't live in Florida or on the Gulf Coast. If you don't want fires and earthquakes, don't live in the damn desert in California. Just because your neighborhood has grass doesn't mean you're not in the middle of the damn desert anymore.

Sorry.... I got a little carried away.

i hope youre kidding. people complain when fires destroy their homes because their fucking house is gone. im not sure how many people live in the desert, but last time i checked, the most populous areas in california are quite a ways away from the desert. i hate the cold and snow, so say what you will and enjoy your < 40°F weather for months at a time.



sorry.... i cant stand jackasses.

[dexter]

Originally Posted by jh valley

i hope youre kidding. people complain when fires destroy their homes because their fucking house is gone. im not sure how many people live in the desert, but last time i checked, the most populous areas in california are quite a ways away from the desert. i hate the cold and snow, so say what you will and enjoy your < 40°F weather for months at a time.

Attachment 253389

sorry.... i cant stand jackasses.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by jh valley

i hope youre kidding. people complain when fires destroy their homes because their fucking house is gone. im not sure how many people live in the desert, but last time i checked, the most populous areas in california are quite a ways away from the desert. i hate the cold and snow, so say what you will and enjoy your < 40°F weather for months at a time.

Attachment 253389

sorry.... i cant stand jackasses.

I lived in San Diego for years, cool guy. I was there when the Cedar Fire came through and destroyed several friends' homes. I had other friends in Otay and Simi Valley who dealt with fires multiple times as well. That silly little map you found is a really inaccurate representation of unofficial bioclimactic regions that looks like it's been drawn by a four-year old. Have you ever been to East County? That is desert. Plain and simple. And it's...what...15 miles away from the coast maybe?

Anyway, I can't stand jackasses either, but don't piss down my back and tell me it's rain.... I don't know why you're trying to defend Southern California's penchant for burning everyones' houses, but that's just the way it is.... Sorry.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by dexter

there is some funny truth to what you say, though californa is in the red right now, so is everyone else, and secondly california is the world's fifth largest economy. the only problem i have living here is that its a liberal state, and i am a republican, so when i see companieslike CARB i get really embarassed to say i live here

Well it's a rant, so I'm glad you took it with a grain of salt and didn't take it too literally or personally. Of course everything in there was exaggerated to a point.

California has been broke for a while. Even before the global meltdown. But, one thing I found odd when I was living in SD, was that I've never lived in a state where they took so much of your money in so many ways.

[flyinb501]

Haha wow I could never live in Cali, I think they have officially lost it there...

[c0nstant]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

I lived in San Diego for years, cool guy. I was there when the Cedar Fire came through and destroyed several friends' homes. I had other friends in Otay and Simi Valley who dealt with fires multiple times as well. That silly little map you found is a really inaccurate representation of unofficial bioclimactic regions that looks like it's been drawn by a four-year old. Have you ever been to East County? That is desert. Plain and simple. And it's...what...15 miles away from the coast maybe?

Anyway, I can't stand jackasses either, but don't piss down my back and tell me it's rain.... I don't know why you're trying to defend Southern California's penchant for burning everyones' houses, but that's just the way it is.... Sorry.

shut up. i dont care if you lived here all your life, youre an ass. your little comment about my provided map is retarded, show me what you think a proper representation would be. even if california was entirely desert as you claim, that doesnt mean fires just fucking appear out of nowhere. theres plenty of dry brush lying around, that isnt something unique to deserts. lightning, accidents and even arsonists are the cause of ignition, not the climate, moron. im not defending southern california at all, i just cant stand you.

[oilcrankinject]

My fiancee (who is German) told me one day she wanted to live in Cali.

I simply said "No."

She asked me why and I told her to look at CARB and Cali's gun control.

[adrian1480]

California is made of fail.

This is but a reminder.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by jh valley

shut up. i dont care if you lived here all your life, youre an ass. your little comment about my provided map is retarded, show me what you think a proper representation would be. even if california was entirely desert as you claim, that doesnt mean fires just fucking appear out of nowhere. theres plenty of dry brush lying around, that isnt something unique to deserts. lightning, accidents and even arsonists are the cause of ignition, not the climate, moron. im not defending southern california at all, i just cant stand you.

I'm an ass. So what. You can't stand me. Again, so what. You're entitled to your opinion. You obviously prefer the morally pure, as evidenced by your sig.