Disneyland’s Autopia attraction will move from gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles, ending a 71-year run for the miniature engines that have powered the Tomorrowland ride since 1955.
The change follows the discovery that Autopia’s gasoline engines were not properly certified under California’s stringent emissions regulations. The attraction’s current cars use 8.5-horsepower Honda four-stroke engines, similar to those used in generators and industrial pressure washers.
Because the vehicles operate for as many as 16 hours a day, they produce significant noise and exhaust. The emissions have contributed to a layer of smog around Tomorrowland, which is also home to attractions including Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
The gasoline engines are expected to be phased out sometime next year. Once the transition is complete, Autopia will join the park’s lineup of electric vehicles while retaining its original concept of letting children drive miniature cars around a track.
Sources: The New York Times Business.