In order to (1) provide a greater number of market options for fuel, (2) help prevent gasoline price spiking due to state blend requirements and refinery down times, (3) improve air quality, and (4) create new job opportunities for Californians, California should enact an open fuel standard as follows:

(a) Requirements – Each manufacturer’s fleet of covered vehicles for a particular model year shall be comprised of–

(1) not less than 50 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2016;

(2) not less than 80 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2017; and

(3) not less than 100 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2018 and each subsequent year.

(b) Definitions – As used in this section–

(1) the term `covered vehicle’ means a passenger automobile, and includes a light-duty motor vehicle;

(2) the term `qualified vehicle ‘ means covered vehicle that meets at least one of the following five criteria:

(A) has been warranted by its manufacturer to operate solely on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel;

(B) is a flexible fuel vehicle;

(C) is a plug-in electric drive vehicle;

(D) is propelled solely by fuel cell that produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; or

(E) is propelled solely by something other than an internal combustion engine, and produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel;

(3) the term `flexible fuel vehicle’ means a vehicle that has been warranted by its manufacturer to operate on gasoline, ethanol, methanol, or any intermediate blend.

(4) the term `biodiesel’ means diesel fuel which has been produced from a non-petroleum feedstock and which meets the standards of ASTM D6751-03;

(5) the term `plug-in electric drive vehicle’ has the meaning given such term in section 508(a)(5) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 13258(a)(5)); and

(6) the term `light-duty motor vehicle’ means a light-duty truck or light-duty vehicle as such terms are defined in section 216(7) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7550(7)) of less than or equal to 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating.