PZEV Subaru | Desjardins Subaru
The Subaru PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) is an eco-friendly solution without compromise, and quite affordable. Although the Subaru PZEV runs on regular unleaded gasoline, it offers undeniable environmental benefits in terms of smog reduction and delivers performance equivalent to non-PZEV cars and SUVs, including hybrid models, diesel, or alternative fuel vehicles.
PZEV models are among the cleanest-running gasoline vehicles on the market and are designed to meet California's air quality standards, the strictest in North America. PZEV models must comply with SULEV (Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle) exhaust standards and produce no evaporative emissions.
Emission Ratings
Emission standards for major pollutants found in vehicle exhaust gases:
- NMOG (Non-Methane Organic Gases), NMHC (Non-Methane Hydrocarbons) or THC (Total Hydrocarbons) — types of carbon-containing compounds, like hydrocarbons
- NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) — compounds that combine with hydrocarbons to create smog
- PM (Particulate Matter) — tiny solid particles that lodge in the lungs and settle on buildings
- CO (Carbon Monoxide) — a toxic, odorless, and colorless gas
- HCHO (Formaldehyde) — a lung irritant and carcinogen
*The vehicle must also be certified according to California PZEV or SULEV20 standards.
Benefits
Subaru PZEV cars allow drivers to reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing anything, as the benefits are winning in every respect:
- ✓Immediate environmental benefits
- ✓No impact on performance
- ✓Hassle-free ownership experience
- ✓Outstanding safety
- ✓Japanese reliability
- ✓Affordability
- ✓No complex technology
- ✓Versatility without compromise
- ✓No alternative fuel required
- ✓Production without landfill waste
How It Works
With Subaru PZEV vehicles, smog-generating emissions are remarkably reduced through modifications in four key areas:
Catalytic Converters
The catalytic converter in Subaru PZEVs is made of a large mesh of finer cells, coated with a thin layer of catalytic metals, which helps reduce emissions. This mesh is covered along its entire length with precious catalytic metals, whose role is to alter the molecular structure of harmful emissions that come into contact with them. In fact, the contact surface is twice as large as that of a traditional catalytic converter, promoting more efficient transformation of pollutants.
Fuel Injectors
The fuel injectors in Subaru PZEVs close more tightly than conventional injectors to prevent vapor emissions from a fuel leak into the intake manifold.
Dual Filtration Air Intake System
In a traditional car, unburned fuel vapors escape through the air intake as soon as the engine is turned off. To prevent this, Subaru PZEVs are equipped with an activated carbon tank in the air intake to absorb these hydrocarbon vapor emissions.
Engine Control Module (ECM)
Emissions are more harmful under 'cold start' conditions. Subaru addresses this by modifying the engine control module programming to make the exhaust gases hotter, promoting faster warming of the catalytic converter and thus reducing emissions.
