Calif. regulators ban new gas-powered cars by 2035

Other states plan to follow, but that doesn’t mean end of vehicles using fossil fuels

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California plans to require all new cars, trucks and SUVs to run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035 under a policy approved Thursday by regulators that seeks a dramatic cut in carbon emissions and an eventual end to gasoline-powered vehicles.

The decision by the California Air Resources Board came two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom first directed regulators to consider such a policy. If the goal is reached, California would cut emissions from cars in half by 2040.

California is the nation’s most populous state, with about 39 million people. It accounts for 10%. of the U.S. car market but has 43% of the nation’s 2.6 million plug-in vehicles, according to the air board.

The move, the world’s most stringent regulations for transitioning to electric vehicles, is expected to prompt other states to follow California’s lead and to accelerate the production of zero-emission vehicles by automakers.

The policy still needs federal approval, but that’s considered likely under Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.

Though California’s plan sets the most aggressive road map in the nation for transitioning to electric cars, it does not eliminate passenger vehicles that run on fossil fuels. People can continue driving gas-fueled vehicles and purchasing used ones after 2035. But it sets a course for ultimately ending the era of filling up at the local gas station.

Massachusetts and Washington said they will follow California’s lead. New York and Pennsylvania are among 17 states that have some or all of California’s emission standards, which are stricter than federal rules.

“This is a historic moment for California, for our partner states, and for the world as we set forth this path toward a zero emission future,” said Liane Randolph, chair of the air board.

Kia Corp.’s Laurie Holmes said the company plans to spend $25 billion by 2025 on EVs and hopes to offer seven models by 2027. But she and several other representatives for auto companies said they’re concerned about the state’s timeline, given supply chain challenges and the high cost of materials to build EVs.

The switch from gas to EVs will drastically reduce emissions and air pollutants, but the transition will be painful for the state’s oil industry. California is the seventh-largest oil-producing state.

California shouldn’t wrap its entire transportation strategy around a vehicle market powered by electricity, said Tanya DeRivi, vice president for climate policy with the Western States Petroleum Association, an oil industry group. “Californians should be able to choose a vehicle technology, including electric vehicles, that best fits their needs based on availability, affordability, and personal necessity,” she said.

Reaching the 100% goal by 2035 will mean overcoming practical hurdles, notably enough reliable power and charging stations. California has 80,000 stations in public places, far short of the 250,000 it wants by 2025.