California Forcing The Closure Of Disneyland's Autopia Ride Unless It Cleans Up Emissions By February
Jalopnik • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Disneyland's Autopia ride, a staple of Tomorrowland since the park's 1955 opening, is transitioning from gas-powered miniature cars to electric vehicles due to regulatory pressure.
- The State of California mandated Disneyland to cease operating the gas-powered Autopia by February 1 unless it switched to cleaner fuels, a directive revealed through recently uncovered government records.
- Disneyland settled with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for $56,250 in 2024 after admitting that the Honda engines used in Autopia vehicles violated state emission regulations, leading to the forced electrification of the ride.
- Although Disneyland announced plans to fully electrify Autopia by autumn 2024 and began testing electric prototypes in May, specific dates for the ride's closure and reopening for the transition have yet to be disclosed.
- The last major refurbishment of Autopia occurred in 2016, coinciding with Honda taking over sponsorship from Chevron, which had sponsored the ride from 2000 to 2012.
