Disneyland’s Autopia Goes Fully Electric After 71 Years of Operation

After just over seven decades of operation, Disneyland has officially confirmed that they will be switching their classic attraction Autopia in order to comply with California’s new environmental regulations.

To that end, the beloved ride, one of the few surviving original attractions in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, will change to electric vehicles in lieu of traditional gasoline, as reported by The New York Times.

Originally opening upon Disneyland’s first debut in 1955, Autopia takes guests on a fun-filled journey along a specially enclosed track. Piloting their own cars, the ride has been delighting fans of all ages for 71 years, making it one of the oldest and most beloved attractions inside Disney’s flagship theme park.

While the ride has remained a dependable favorite for decades among visitors, Disney has confirmed that Autopia will swap out its traditional gas-powered engines for electric in compliance with a mandate from the California Air Resources Board in regards to air pollution in California.

To better comply with the new mandates, Disneyland is currently developing plans for a fully electric version of the Autopia ride ahead of the mandate’s February 1 deadline.

“It will be electric, but not the conventional idea of a battery in a car,” Disney Legend Bob Gurr said to the Times. “It’s very different.”

Interestingly, Gurr has been pushing for Autopia to convert to electric vehicles since 2000, believing that the gas engines had a negative affect on both visitors’ in-ride experience and the overall health of California’s environment.

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

Honda will continue to act as the attraction’s sponsor, Gurr also confirmed.

“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 ongoing.”

This story was originally published by Parade on Nov 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.