April 15, 2022—California has made a plan to mandate an increase in the sale of electric and zero-emission vehicles in an effort toward ultimately banning new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035.
According to an article by The New York Times, the proposed rule was issued by the California Air Resources Board will require 35 percent of new passenger vehicles sold in the state by 2026 to be powered either by hydrogen or batteries. Currently, 12.4 percent of new vehicles sold in the state are zero emissions.
This proposal comes following an executive order that President Biden signed last year which called for half of all the vehicles sold in the United States to be electric by 2030. However, legislation has stalled in the Senate that would allocate billions of dollars in electric vehicle tax incentives.
"California’s proposed rule puts into motion an executive order that Gov. Gavin Newsom issued 2020." According to the article. "Under the plan, 35 percent of new cars and light trucks sold must be zero-emissions starting in 2026. That will increase to 68 percent in 2030, and to 100 percent in 2035. The plan allows for 20 percent of new sales to be plug-in hybrids."
If adopted, this plan could be a game-changer with California leading and other states potentially following suit with a similar implementation.
