Disneyland given deadline to overhaul iconic, 70-year-old ride — or shut it down
New York Post • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Disneyland must replace the gas-powered engines in its Autopia ride cars with electric engines by February 2027 to comply with California's emissions regulations, or risk shutting down the attraction.
- The issue arose after Honda, the ride’s sponsor, failed to certify the engines in 2023, leading to a violation and a $56,250 fine issued by the California Air Resources Board in 2024.
- Autopia, an original attraction since 1955 and the last remaining ride in Tomorrowland, will be electrified with new vehicles currently being designed by Disney imagineers.
- Disney stated the engine certification error had no environmental impact and plans to complete the switch to electric vehicles by next year, though the timeline for the ride’s closure and reopening has not been announced.
- The ride features track-connected vehicles with rider-controlled speeds up to 6 mph, and the electrification aligns with the industry’s move toward alternative fuel sources.
