California is taking a historic step toward combating climate change by announcing that it would prohibit the sale of new automobiles that solely run on gasoline by the year 2035. The new regulations are intended to put pressure on automobile manufacturers to speed up the process of bringing greener automobiles to market.
This change is significant since California is the state with the most people in the United States and has one of the largest economies in the world.
According to the regulations that the California Air Resources Board handed down (CARB), by the year 2026, a minimum of 35% of all new cars that are sold in the state must be either electric, hybrid, or hydrogen-powered.
By the year 2030, the laws would apply to 68% of car sales, and by the year 2035, they would cover 100% of sales.
Chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Laine Randolph, referred to the decision as “a historic moment for California, for our partner states, and for the globe as we lay forth a road toward a zero-emission future.”
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The declaration represents the most recent step that California has taken as it continues to move faster than the federal government in the United States to tighten emission standards.
California is the most populous state in the United States, with more than 39 million people. In terms of gross domestic product, it would be the fifth biggest economy in the world if it were a stand-alone country, placing it higher than the United Kingdom in the rankings.
Joseph Mendelson, senior counsel at electric car manufacturer Tesla, stated that CARB’s plan was “both achievable and paves the way for California to lead in electrifying the light duty sector.” Mendelson said the plan “paves the way for California to lead in electrifying the light duty sector.”
However, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, comprised of automakers such as General Motors, Volkswagen, and Toyota, stated that further steps needed to be taken to increase consumer demand for electric vehicles (EVs).
According to John Bozzella, president and chief executive officer of the alliance, “What we’ve emphasized to CARB and others is that putting more EVs on the road must go hand-in-hand with other policies that will ultimately decide the success of this transition.”
Before the new regulations can go into effect, they will need to be sanctioned by the government of the United States.
On the other hand, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers trade organization has requested President Biden and the Environmental Protection Agency to “reject California’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver to proceed with this unconstitutional prohibition.”
