California forces Disneyland to retire gas-powered Autopia cars, clearing the air in Tomorrowland

Disneyland's Autopia, a staple of the park for decades, is drawing fresh criticism over something that feels increasingly out of place in Tomorrowland: it still runs on gasoline.

Momentum picked up on Reddit after word spread that the ride's exhaust-heavy cars could be headed for retirement. Many users welcomed the change as a long-overdue improvement for both visitors and workers.

What happened?

A post on r/ElectricVehicles linked to a Walt Disney World News Today report stating that Disneyland, under an agreement with the California Air Resources Board, must retire Autopia's gas-powered cars by early 2027.

Autopia remains one of the resort's signature attractions, letting kids and families guide miniature cars along a fixed track. But that old design has come to seem especially dated in a land built around futuristic ideas.

"I am surprised an EV company has not stepped up to build the vehicles for Disney," the original poster wrote. 

In the discussion that followed, commenters suggested companies such as Rivian, Tesla, and GM/Honda. Some added that Disney has apparently talked internally about electrifying the ride.

Why is this change to Disneyland's Autopia important?

Switching Autopia's cars to electric vehicles could reduce pollution in one of the park's busiest family zones and make the area quieter and more pleasant for people walking through or waiting nearby.

It could also matter to employees stationed there all day. Less tailpipe exhaust would mean less exposure to pollution linked to respiratory and cardiovascular health risks.

"I was there last fall and the fumes were overpowering. I'd say the poor teens working that dump have a class action suit ready to go for lung injury," one commenter noted. 

There may also be business advantages with the elimination of fuel use and potentially less maintenance. And fit is important to consider as well. A futuristic attraction powered by gas looks increasingly mismatched as cleaner vehicle technology becomes more common. 

What are people saying?

Commenters speculated that if the conversion goes smoothly in California, Disney World might eventually make a similar move for practical and economic reasons.

"Glad CA is making Disneyland do this. I can only imagine how cleaner and quieter that area of the park will be," one said. 

"Just watch, Disney World will do it on their own, for economic reasons alone," another added.

"Can't believe they didn't already do this years ago," said one more. "Also, why isn't the people-mover tram electric? Should have been done years ago as well."

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