Automakers will now be required to produce 7,500 zero emission vehicles, down from 25,000.

California’s Air Resources Board significantly reduced a zero emission vehicle quota for car makers doing business in the state.

The rules now require the companies to produce 7,500 zero emission vehicles, down from 25,000, for each year from 2012 to 2014.

To comply with the new rules, the automakers have to make 58,000 hybrid and fuel cell cars available in the same period.

Hybrids use a gasoline or diesel engine along with battery-powered propulsion, and are not considered zero emission.

Plug In America, a California non-profit lobbying group for plug-in electric vehicles, called the move by the Air Resources board a “shameful weakening” of the zero emission vehicle program.

“The new regulations require less than an average of 297 zero-emission vehicles per year per automaker, which is a 70 percent drop from the previous regulations, and results in a loss of at least 18,000 plug-in hybrids in the same period,” said the group.

The lobbying group pointed out that under the new regulations, automakers would have to make at least two battery electric vehicles to get the same credits as one hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.

Plug In America said the Air Resources Board “gives more credit for the least viable technology – hydrogen – at the expense of more affordable, technologically ready battery electric vehicles.”

The Air Resources Board said its motivation has always been to have zero emission technologies on the roads on a mass scale as soon as possible.

“Whether using fuel cells, battery electric vehicles, or other technologies, our commitment to zero emissions has never wavered,” said the board. “Our strategy, however, has appropriately considered the state of technology, market factors, economic impact, and our mission.”

The board said that over 750,000 Californians are currently driving partial zero and advanced technology partial zero emission vehicles, which it said have near-zero tailpipe emissions, and zero evaporative emissions.

The partial zero and advanced technology partial zero emissions vehicles are 80 percent cleaner than the average 2002 model year car, according to the Air Resources Board.