Disneyland forced to pull plug on Autopia gas engines ahead of California mandate

They’re going green.

Disneyland will replace the gas-powered cars on its classic Autopia attraction with electric vehicles ahead of a looming deadline. The change comes just months before the state’s Feb. 1 deadline to retire the cars or shut the ride down completely.

“It will be electric, but not the conventional idea of a battery in a car,” Disney legend Bob Gurr, who designed the ride, revealed to the New York Times in a new interview. “It’s very different.”

Vehicles on the ride have been gas-powered since it first debuted at Disneyland in 1955. Cars on the ride currently run on 8.5 horsepower Honda four-stroke engines. Honda will continue to sponsor the ride after the remodel, according to Gurr.

“Our current sponsorship agreement with Disneyland Resort runs through early 2027,” a Honda spokesperson told the Times. “Discussions regarding the future of the partnership and sponsorship of the Autopia attraction are currently ongoing.”

The ride was previously sponsored by Richfiled Oil from 1955 to 1970, and Chevron Oil from 2000 to 2012.

Disneyland is currently testing a fully-electric vehicle prototype for the ride.

The park has been in trouble for the gas-powered vehicles before. In 2024, Disneyland paid a $56,000 settlement to the California Air Resources Board after it was discovered that the ride’s cars were operating without certified emissions controls. The park says the fine was the result of “administrative oversight” and corrections were made without impact to the environment.

Gurr says the ride’s switch to electric a long time coming. The designer has been advocating for it since 2000.

“For 26 years, I’ve been arguing, ‘When are you going to do anything to get rid of that gasoline?’” Gurr told the Times. “The dirtiest place on Earth is the Autopia attraction at Disneyland in the city of Anaheim.”

Autopia last received a major renovation in 2016 when Honda came on as a sponsor. Disneyland first announced plans to convert the ride to electric powered vehicles in 2024.

The park says the switch is part of its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2030 by increasing its usage. renewable energy sources.

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