Disneyland to remove Autopia gas engines ahead of state mandate

They turn green.

Disneyland will replace the gas-powered cars at its classic Autopia attraction with electric vehicles before a looming deadline. The change comes just months before the state’s Feb. 1 deadline to remove the cars or stop the ride altogether.

“It will be electric, but not the conventional idea of ​​a battery in a car,” Disney legend Bob Gurr, who designed the ride, revealed to the New York Times in a new interview. “It’s very different.”

The ride’s vehicles have run on gasoline since its debut at Disneyland in 1955. The ride’s cars currently operate on 8.5 horsepower Honda four-stroke engines. Honda will continue to sponsor the vehicle after the renovation, according to Gurr.

“Our current sponsorship agreement with Disneyland Resort runs through early 2027,” a Honda spokesperson told the Times. “Discussions regarding the future of the partnership and sponsorship of the Autopia attraction are currently underway.”

The ride was previously sponsored by Richfiled Oil from 1955 to 1970 and by Chevron Oil from 2000 to 2012.

Disneyland is currently testing a prototype all-electric vehicle for the ride.

The park has previously experienced problems with gasoline-powered vehicles. In 2024, Disneyland paid a $56,000 settlement to the California Air Resources Board after discovering that the ride’s cars were operating without certified emissions controls. The park says the fine is the result of “administrative oversight” and that the corrections were made without impact on the environment.

Gurr says switching the ride to electric will take time. The designer has been defending it since 2000.

“For 26 years, I’ve been saying, ‘When are you going to do something to get rid of this gasoline?'” Gurr told the Times. “The dirtiest place on Earth is the Autopia attraction at Disneyland in the city of Anaheim.”

Autopia last underwent a major renovation in 2016 when Honda became a sponsor. Disneyland first announced plans to convert the ride to electric vehicles in 2024.

The park says the change is part of its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 by increasing its use. renewable energy sources.

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