Automakers Will Pursue Litigation To Protect California Consumers

July 22, 2002

Statement by Josephine S. Cooper, President & CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, regarding the Governor of California signing AB 1493 into law:

"The same politicians who brought California rolling blackouts, unmarketable electric vehicles and a $23-billion budget deficit now want to set fuel economy standards for California vehicles.

"Federal law and common sense prohibit each state from developing its own fuel economy standards. Because of the impact on the entire national economy, 20 years ago Congress reserved the issue of fuel economy standards to the federal government in order to balance all sectors of the economy and to avoid a patchwork quilt of state regulations.

"We expect to challenge successfully the implementation of this law in federal court.

"At the same time, we pledge to work constructively with the federal government to raise fuel economy standards for the whole country, and to ensure that all Americans have even more choices of fuel-efficient vehicles."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 13 car and light truck manufacturers who account for more than 90 percent of U.S. vehicle sales. Member companies include BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. The auto industry employs about 460,000 people in California. For more information, visit the Alliance website at www.autoalliance.org.

###