The ride Walt Disney opened in 1955 is getting its biggest change yet

NewsDisneyland’s oldest car ride is about to sound very different Disneyland’s Autopia, an opening-day ride from 1955, will replace its gas-powered cars with electric ones to meet California emissions rules. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)APDisneyland’s oldest car ride is about to lose its “vroom.” Autopia, which opened with the park in 1955, will trade its gas engines for electric power, The New York Times reported.Right now, each tiny car runs on a small Honda engine, like the kind used on a pressure washer. The cars can rumble for up to 16 hours a day. That leaves a haze of smog hanging over Tomorrowland.So why the change? In 2023, Disney told California officials the engines had been changed in a way that broke state rules, WDW News Today reported. Disney later agreed to pay $56,250, according to the California Air Resources Board. Half of that money is paying for air cleaners and air sensors at 10 Southern California schools. The gas cars must be gone by Feb. 1, 2027, or the ride has to close, The Mercury News reported. Disney hasn’t said when Autopia will shut down for the switch. Bob Gurr, 95, who designed the ride for Walt Disney, said Disney showed him a model of the new ride earlier this year. The new cars won’t carry their own batteries. Instead, power will come from the track. “It’s very different,” he said. Chris Pugh covers trending news and national breaking stories, focusing on the moments, conversations, and cultural flashpoints shaping the national news cycle. Chris worked as a digital reporter for...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.