Disneyland plans to electrify Autopia, convert popular attraction's gas-powered cars

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Plans are successful the works to regenerate the gas-powered cars astatine Disneyland's fashionable Autopia attraction arsenic portion of the Anaheim resort's ongoing decarbonization efforts and its extremity of nett zero emissions, Disney officials said Tuesday.

"Since opening with Disneyland parkland successful 1955, Autopia has remained a guest-favorite astir fashionable with young kids experiencing driving for the archetypal time," Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good said successful statement. "As the manufacture moves toward alternate substance sources, we person developed a roadmap to electrify this attraction and are evaluating exertion that volition alteration america to person from state engines successful the adjacent fewer years."

Whether the cars volition beryllium replaced by electrical vehicles oregon hybrids was not instantly confirmed.

Disneyland Resort's nett zero emissions people includes a holistic presumption of driving vigor efficiency, expanding the taxable parks' reliance connected renewable energy, and shifting pollution-intensive fossil fuels to cleaner sources of vigor wherever feasible.

File representation of Autopia successful Tomorrowland astatine Disneyland successful Anaheim, CA, connected Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

Photo by Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images

The edifice has exceeded the California Air Resources Board's zero-emission-vehicle 2024 milestone by converting 14% of the affected fleet -- exceeding the board's 10% 2024 milestone, according to Disney officials. The attack has resulted successful implicit 10 cardinal kilowatt-hours successful vigor savings implicit the past 18 months.

News of plans for Autopia comes arsenic Disney is seeking an expansion of the Orange County edifice implicit the adjacent 4 decades.

The projected enlargement wouldn't summation Disney's 490-acre footprint successful Anaheim oregon alteration what the institution already has support to build. But it could assistance the institution make caller attractions.

On March 11, the metropolis of Anaheim's readying committee voted to urge support of the connection for Disneyland, dubbed the "happiest spot connected Earth." The task - which would necessitate Disney to put astatine slightest $1.9 cardinal successful the taxable park, lodging, amusement and related uses implicit the adjacent decennary - inactive indispensable beryllium approved by the metropolis assembly earlier taking effect. The assembly is expected to see the task adjacent month.

The Walt Disney Co. is the genitor institution of this station. The Associated Press contributed to this report.