The California Air Resources Board has issued a rule (PDF) that formally prohibits the sale of all-gas vehicles in the state by 2035.
The regulations were issued two years after Governor Gavin Newsom directed the agency to create “passenger vehicle and truck regulations requiring increasing volumes of new zero-emission vehicles sold in the state toward the target of 100 percent in-state sales by 2035.”
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The rule, which will gradually phase out the sale of combustion-engine vehicles, was unanimously approved by the board. By 2026, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, or models with hydrogen fuel cells must account for 35% of new car sales in the state. This target will be raised to 68 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035.
According to California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph, the move will result in a 50% reduction in pollution from light trucks and cars by 2040. The state also intends to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.
According to CNBC, the rule is likely to spur similar legislation in other states, as New York and Massachusetts have already done. When it comes to establishing strict emissions standards, California has led the way, with at least 15 states adopting its rules.
Many well-known automakers and car brands have already announced plans to transition entirely to EVs by 2035. By 2026, Bentley intends to sell only plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz and Volvo intend to go all-electric by 2030. GM anticipates completing a similar transition by 2035. Honda has set a 2040 deadline. Meanwhile, Ford has pledged to transition to all-electric vehicles in Europe by 2030.
As part of its efforts to combat climate change, Santa Rosa became the largest city in the United States to prohibit the construction of new gas stations this week.
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The city, which is located in Sonoma County, has a population of 176,938 people. According to the Press Democrat, more than half of the county’s 486,000 residents now live in an area where new gas stations are prohibited.
Similar measures are being considered by officials in Los Angeles and New York state. With that and the ban on the sale of gas-powered vehicles, perhaps the infamous Los Angeles smog will be a thing of the past in the not-too-distant future.
