California is banning new gas cars by 2035

California to Ban the Sale of New Gasoline Cars – The New York Times

California is expected to move forward with a comprehensive plan that would ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, a landmark step that could speed a global shift toward electric vehicles.

California requires all new cars sold in the state to be emissions-free by 2035. The state also requires 35% of new light-duty vehicles to produce zero emissions by 2026.

California’s actions follow sweeping new climate legislation signed by President Joe Biden last week. The law would pour $370 billion into clean-energy programs through spending and tax credits, the federal government’s most significant single measure to address climate change.

Experts said California’s new rules, both their strictness and their scope, may help to shave yet another big chunk off the nation’s CO2 emissions and may affect new policies in Washington and around the world aimed at promoting electric vehicles and cutting car pollution.

John Bozzella, chairman of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said California’s new electric-vehicle sales mandate will be “extremely difficult” to comply with because of outside factors.

Canada, Britain, at least nine other European countries, and Denmark have established targets for eliminating gas-powered vehicles by 2030-2040. Still, no mandates or specific regulations, such as the California rules.

In Washington, Mr. Biden signed an executive order last year directing the government to attempt to make half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. be electric by 2030, compared with 6% now. He has also sought to establish federal policies to expand electric-vehicle usage further.

President Biden paved the way for these new rules in California when he recently restored a Clean Air Act waiver that gave California the power to establish car mileage and pollution rules even stricter than federal standards. This was previously suspended while President Donald Trump was in office. Once in place, the California rules are expected to influence the new national standards the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to unveil next year. But already, there is legal opposition to these plans.

For more coverage on this story, check the following additional news sources:

  1. California to Ban the Sale of New Gasoline Cars  The New York Times
  2. California Expected To Ban New Gas-Only Car Sales By 2035  Forbes Breaking News
  3. California to hold final hearing on banning sale of new gas cars by 2035  Fox Business
  4. California set to make way for 100 per cent electric vehicles by 2035  Sky News Australia
  5. California will ban new gas-powered vehicles sales starting in 2035  The Verge