California, the state that buys the most cars and trucks in the United States, plans to ban the sale of fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2035. It is the largest government move against petrol and diesel to date and could ripple across the country. and the global automobile industry.
The California Air Resources Board, which regulates California’s air pollution, unanimously demanded on Thursday that 100% of all vehicles sold in the state have zero greenhouse gas emissions over 13 years. Voted to approve the proposal. The Board exercises powers to protect air quality and address the impacts of climate change. Both petrol and diesel cars get worse.
Lauren Sanchez, senior climate adviser to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, told reporters Wednesday that the vote was not just for California, but for the nation and the world to jump headfirst into the next chapter of zero-emission vehicles. said it was an important day for revolution. “
In addition, a new rule called the CARB Advanced Clean Cars II rule sets an interim milestone requiring 35% of new cars to produce zero emissions. 100% by 2035 model year, according to resolution.
California has been a leader in the automotive industry. The state has nearly 30 million cars and trucks registered, with an additional 1.8 million new car registrations in 2021, about 8% of which will be electric. CARB also has special permission from the federal government to set stricter air quality regulations for all vehicles, which have been adopted by 17 other states. Automakers don’t like to make different cars from state to state, so California sets the de facto standard for the country and the rest of the world.
An open question is whether the state will be able to meet the targets set by the new rule. Kate Whitefoot, associate professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said in an email. “The uncertainty is when this will happen. This regulation by California will help accelerate that timeline.”
The challenge is not only to get automakers to produce zero-emission vehicles, but also to convince drivers to buy them. The 2035 deadline is far from an environmental point of view, but very close in terms of vehicle development timelines. It takes years for a car to go from blueprint to practical use. A new generation of zero-emission vehicles is needed to meet all the diverse needs of drivers. But in the meantime, most cars sold will continue to run on fossil fuels that heat the planet.
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases in the United States, so rapid decarbonization of cars and trucks is urgently needed to meet national and international emissions reduction goals. The US, he said, aims to reduce overall emissions by at least 50% by 2030 compared to 2005. At current growth rates, by 2035 only a quarter of his new cars nationwide will be electric, so sales will need to grow significantly.
Also, CARB’s proposal does not take gasoline vehicles off the road. It just stops dealers from selling them. Considering the average car has been on the road for more than 11 years, California will continue to starve for gas and diesel well into 2035 and beyond.
As for automakers, many have said they are betting on an electronically powered future, but California’s phasing out of fossil fuel vehicles will test their commitments.
A General Motors spokeswoman said the company is still evaluating CARB’s proposal, but in an emailed statement said the company and the state of California are committed to reducing emissions from new light vehicles by 2035. We share a common vision of a fully electric vehicle future that eliminates
Stellantis, which was formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot SA last year, said the phasing out of gasoline and diesel in California is in line with their own ambitions. “Stellantis is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2038, as evidenced by his recent $35 billion investment in vehicle electrification and related software for deployment. It has been. [of] 25 battery electric vehicles for the US market by 2030,” Stellantis spokesperson Eric Mayne said in an email.
But Ford was much more enthusiastic about the new regulations. “The CARB Advanced Clean Cars II rule is a breakthrough standard that defines clean transportation and serves as a role model for the United States,” Ford Chief Sustainability Officer Bob He Hollycross said in an email. increase. (The company previously sided with the state of California in a lawsuit filed by a group of Republican state attorneys general seeking to strip California of its special powers.)
But what about drivers? Cars in the US are only going up in price. On average, new cars cost him over $47,000. New and used car prices have also hit record highs this year, fueling fears of inflation. On the other hand, the median income in the US is $41,000 and he needs a loan for 85% of his new car purchases. American auto loan debt totals over $1.4 trillion.
These constraints make it even more difficult to sell EVs today. Many electric vehicles are now more expensive than gasoline vehicles. However, there are federal and state credits and incentives to lower the cost of cleaner cars and trucks. The recently passed Inflation Relief Act gives buyers $7,500 in credit for each new electric vehicle and about $4,000 for used vehicles. The law includes $100 billion in funding for EV production and $250 billion in loan guarantees. The federal government is also pushing companies to build cleaner cars by setting tougher fuel economy standards.
But electric vehicles aren’t the only way to decarbonize transport. Nearly three-quarters of his motorized trips in the United States are less than 10 miles, so people going from cars to buses, bikes, scooters and trains creates significantly more greenhouse gas emissions than just electrification. will be reduced. This will require more incentives and investment in infrastructure.
Still, California’s deadline to remove new fossil-fueled vehicles from the road is an important signal for the auto industry to turn around. That might be the thrust needed to find a way out and drive off into the sunset for a gurgling, carbon dioxide-breathing motor.
Update, August 25, 5:15 PM ET: This article was originally published on August 24th and has been updated to reflect the passing of a bill to end the sale of fossil fuel-powered vehicles in California.
