Carmakers to meet with Schwarzenegger over greenhouse laws

California has some of the toughest emissions and fuel-economy regulations in the world and with news 17 other states are considering adopting these same harsh standards carmakers are starting to feel the heat. Combined, these states account for more than half of the total U.S. market, so such a rule would almost certainly dictate the kinds of cars and trucks sold across the entire country. A group of representatives from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents a number of carmakers including the Detroit 3 as well as Toyota, are now planning to meet with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to warn of the effects of the tougher standards.

Carmakers claim the new standards would force production cuts and threaten the survival of weaker firms, and state that new 35mpg by 2020 CAFE standards are already enough to reduce global warming. California’s new rules would set a target of roughly 40.5mpg for most cars and some trucks by as early as 2016 – a target nearly every carmaker claims is unrealistic.

Auto industry execs don't expect one meeting to change Schwarzenegger's position. Instead they see the upcoming meeting as an opportunity to explain just how hard meeting such standards will be and at what cost to the economy, reports The Detroit News.

Schwarzenegger believes California is doing more to save the U.S. auto industry than anyone else because it is pushing carmakers to change and become more competitive. Unfortunately for the carmakers, major presidential candidates, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama largely agree with the Governator.