The state of California leads the US in pushing for more EVs on the road by banning gas-powered cars by 2035.
California is gearing up to be the first state in America to ban new gas-powered cars starting 2035. The Golden State wants all new cars, trucks, and SUVs sold to be powered by electricity or hydrogen, accelerating the transition to more climate-friendly vehicles.
According to US News, the California Air Resources Board on Thursday overwhelmingly voted to approve a ban on new gas-powered cars by 2035. Board member Daniel Sperling described their decision as the "most important and most transformative action" that they have ever undertaken.
Resolution Supports California Governor's Resolution on New Gas-Powered Cars
The California Air Resources Board's decision to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 supports a resolution made by Gov. Gavin Newsom back in September 2020, in which he announced that the state will phase out gas-run vehicles to reduce the demand for fossil fuels. The Democratic leader called it "the most impactful step" California could make to address climate change.
At the time, Gov. Newsom also tasked the California Air Resources Board to establish regulations that would order 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035. He said that this would contribute to a 35% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and an 80% improvement in oxides of nitrogen emissions from vehicles across the state.
Moreover, Gov. Newsom's resolution requires that 35% of new passenger vehicles sold within California produce no emissions, with that statistic climbing to 68% in 2030 and 100% in 2035. This policy, however, does not affect used car sales.
California Transitions Into Using Cleaner Energy
California's ban on new gas-powered cars beginning 2035 is the most aggressive push so far. The Golden State is currently the seventh-largest oil producing state in America, but is seeing a decrease in output as it hopes to transition to cleaner energy, NPR reported.
"The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution," Gov. Newsom said on Wednesday. California however is not without its challenges in achieving its climate change goals.
The Golden State now has around 80,000 charging stations in public places, which is still less than half of its goal of 250,000 by 2035. Major carmakers in a group called the Alliance for Automotive Innovation cited the state's lack of infrastructure, minimal access to battery materials, and supply chain issues as challenges in meeting California's clean energy goals.
California makes up one-tenth of the US car market but has up to 43% of the country's 2.6 million registered EVs. Alliance for Automotive Innovation president JOhn Bozzella added that the state is at about 18% EV market share and leads the nation with 6.3% market share.
California's decision to cut down on gas-powered cars is timely, as Tritium, a producer of direct current (DC) fast chargers for electric vehicles (EVs), has just opened its first US manufacturing hub in Lebanon, Tennessee. The company is looking to produce up to 30,000 DC fast charger units annually at peak production.
