By 2035, it is anticipated that California will have outlawed the sale of new gasoline vehicles as part of its drastic emissions reduction and climate emergency response measures.
State regulators are set to approve a proposal to gradually phase out the sale of gas-powered automobiles in America’s largest auto market over the course of the next 13 years in a vote on Thursday. The action is being hailed as a significant victory that may show others the way forward.
The referendum was held two years after Gavin Newsom, the governor of the state, signed an executive order requiring zero-emission vehicles to be sold.
According to Carb, only 12% of new automobiles sold in California in 2021 were zero-emission vehicles. By 2026, 68% by 2030, and 100% by 2035, the state would need to attain 35% of sales, according to the new regulation. Cars that are currently on the road wouldn’t be impacted.
The legislation will be among the first of its sort and serve as a model for other states that frequently turn to California when establishing their own standards, according to Sperling, who expressed his near-certainty that it would pass. Sperling told CNN that considering the increased manufacturing of electric vehicles, there was “very little debate” and opposition to the notion. By 2035, General Motors intends to offer solely electric vehicles, the company has stated.
When releasing his executive order in 2020, Newsom said that the transportation industry is responsible for more than half of California’s carbon pollution. The initiative has received praise from the governor for being an important step in addressing the climate emergency, which has fueled expensive and damaging natural disasters in the state.
At the time, Newsom declared, “This is the most significant action our state can take to combat climate change.” “Californians shouldn’t be concerned that their cars are causing their children’s asthma, Our vehicles shouldn’t exacerbate wildfires and prolong the number of days with smoky air. Our beloved beaches and coastlines shouldn’t be threatened by cars melting glaciers or rising sea levels.
According to research, switching to electric vehicles would have a significant impact in the US, where transportation is the main cause of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. According to a survey earlier this year from the American Lung Association, switching from gas-powered to zero-emission vehicles would save the US 110,000 lives, $1.2 trillion in public health expenses, and 92% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
