Got this from BMWWORLD
http://www.bmwworld.com/models/years/2003/sulev.htm

BMW is the first German manufacturer and the first premium car maker to offer a SULEV vehicle.

SULEV is an acronym for Super-Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle. Before there was SULEV, there was ULEV, for Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle. But since it's a BMW, maybe we can call it Super-Ultimate instead of Super-Ultra!

A SULEV is 90% cleaner than the average new car, and its rating is second only to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), like BMW's experimental clean-energy hydrogen-powered vehicle.

SULEVs protect the environment because they will only emit a single pound of hydrocarbons during 100,000 miles of driving—about the same as spilling a pint of gasoline.

A SULEV vehicle is defined by the state of California as being eight times cleaner than a ULEV, as established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in its Low-Emission Vehicle II rules. The California Low-Emission Vehicle II rules will govern cars and light trucks from 2004 through 2010. In addition to its SULEV rating, the BMW SULEV is expected to be certified by California as qualifying for its Zero Evaporative Emissions standard.

Since several other US states have adopted the CARB rules, the BMW SULEV 3 Series cars will be available in California, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont.


It is good to see car manufacturers really taking an interest in the environment. Performance may be less but to many people that may not matter. Check the link for more info...I didn't want to post all of it here.