Honda limits greenest cars to certain states...

It seems like government regulations are prohibiting these new cars with special emissions equipment from being sold throughout the entire country, but then the article goes on to talk about the added expense that Companies might not want to pay? Any thoughts?

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On a recent run from Boston to Cape Cod, I test drove the 2008 Honda Accord, the latest version of this family favorite. The new Accord boasts an environmental first: a six-cylinder gasoline engine that's cleaner than many hybrid systems.
There's only one catch: You can't actually buy this ultra-green Accord, or the four-cylinder version that also produces near-zero pollution. That is, unless you live in California, New York or six other northeast states that follow California's tougher pollution rules. Only there can you buy this Accord, or the roughly two dozen other models that meet so-called Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle standards, PZEV for short.

Related Link: 2008 Honda Accord Preview

Not only can't you buy one, but the government says it's currently illegal for automakers to sell these green cars outside of the special states. Under terms of the Clean Air Act—in the kind of delicious irony only our government can pull off—anyone (dealer, consumer, automaker) involved in an out-of-bounds PZEV sale could be subject to civil fines of up to $27,500. Volvo sent its dealers a memo alerting them to this fact, noting that its greenest S40 and V50 models were only for the special states.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4024974

I can't understand the motivation that would block these cars from the market at all. Its not like the oil companies would be against them, they get regular gas milage, their just clean. What gives?

I think auto malkers SHOULD HAVE TO OFFER an alternative to petrol fuel burning cars. They did it in the 90s with the EV line so I know the technology is there.

THIS REALLY PISSED ME OFF!!

If you had, you would have seen this tidbit. http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4024642

The Catch
Geography can be conspiring against eco-conscious buyers. The PZEV's limited availability is not a result of sales volume, marketing or any other political force; it's all about fuel quality. The reformulated fuel available in what's called the California Emission States—California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Maine—make PZEV possible. Take a PZEV to Kansas and the change in fuel quality will knock down its emissions performance. Many PZEVs like the Ford Focus may be available in states bordering the California Emission States but in the case of Ford the 130-hp DURATEC 20E engine is a no-cost option.

With the engine tuned to a specific fuel mix, the engine could be damaged by the wrong fuel mix, and here is the neat part, the emissions could even be worse depending on the fuel mix. Oh before you start to say standardize the fuel mix think about this, the fuel mix is standardized by the Feds, but the states have added to that, which means that only in those states that have special more expensive fuel is this car possible. Wait there is more. In California, you don't have additives to make the fuel winter friendly, which you do in New York. (I don't know what those additives would do to the engine so finely tuned I doubt the car makers do either)

Remember that this is an opinion piece, and probably not considered in a scientific manner.