California Rules that by 2035 the State will ban the Sale of new Gasoline Powered Cars.
As summer comes to a close and as many of us were on vacation last week, California passed a new regulation that would ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars and light trucks by 2035.
The California Air Resources Board on August 25th approved the Advanced Clean Cars II rule. This rule outlines a year-by-year roadmap as to how the state will make it so that 100% of new cars and light trucks sold in California will be zero emission vehicles by 2035. This also includes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. This regulation will apply to automakers and covers only the sale of new vehicles, meaning that existing vehicles will still be legal to own and drive, its purely the purchase of new ones. California's Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, said
"We can solve this climate crisis if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to cut pollution… This plan's yearly targets—35 percent ZEV sales by 2026, 68 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2035—provide our roadmap to reducing dangerous carbon emissions and moving away from fossil fuels. That's 915 million oil barrels' worth of emissions that won't pollute our communities."
Newsom went on to say that the $10 billion the state was investing in making the transition would make it "easier and cheaper for all Californians to purchase electric cars."
According to the press release from California Air Resources Board, their analysis indicates that battery-electric vehicles are likely to reach cost parity with conventional vehicles by 2030. By 2035, consumers are likely to realize as much as $7,900 in maintenance and operational savings over the first 10 years of ownership.
When looking at electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles there are standards that automakers will have to meet in order to sell those vehicles in California. Those requirements include the following:
Plug-in hybrid, full battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles count toward an automaker’s requirement. PHEVs must have an all-electric range of at least 50 miles under real-world driving conditions. In addition, automakers will be allowed to meet no more than 20% of their overall ZEV requirement with PHEVs.
Battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles will need a minimum range of 150 miles to qualify under the program, include fast-charging ability and come equipped with a charging cord to facilitate charging, and meet new warranty and durability requirements.
“Once again California is leading the nation and the world with a regulation that sets ambitious but achievable targets for ZEV sales. Rapidly accelerating the number of ZEVs on our roads and highways will deliver substantial emission and pollution reductions to all Californians, especially for those who live near roadways and suffer from persistent air pollution… The regulation includes ground-breaking strategies to bring ZEVs to more communities and is supported by the Governor’s ZEV budget which provides incentives to make ZEVs available to the widest number of economic groups in California, including low- and moderate-income consumers.” CARB Chair Liane Randolph.
According to the press release from California Air resources Board, this regulation is expected to cause a 25% reduction in “smog causing pollution” from these vehicles by 2037. It is estimated that from through that the regulation will avoid health impacts worth nearly $13 billion. This includes 1,290 fewer cardiopulmonary deaths, 460 fewer hospital admissions for cardiovascular or respiratory illness, and 650 fewer emergency room visits for asthma. The the effects of these rules will not only be beneficial to the health of the environment but to people as well.
While these new measures are being celebrated there are concerns regarding how this may impact California’s energy grid, if the current electric vehicle infrastructure can support these changes, supply chain concerns in regard to obtaining the lithium used in batteries, and around the costs to consumers.
With these concerns in mind, New York passed a similar law last year, and it’s expected that 13 other states are likely to adopt their own version of this as well. Those states include, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Sources:
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01092022/california-just-banned-gas-powered-cars-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/california-moves-accelerate-100-new-zero-emission-vehicle-sales-2035
https://www.newsweek.com/californians-told-not-charge-electric-cars-gas-car-sales-ban-1738398
