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California may be 1st state to ban selling new, gas-operated cars after 2035
On Thursday the California Air Resource Board will vote on whether to ban new sales of gasoline-operated vehicles by 2035. California would be the first state in the nation to implement this kind of environmental regulation.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - On Thursday the California Air Resource Board will vote on whether to ban new sales of gasoline-operated vehicles by 2035. California would be the first state in the nation to implement this kind of environmental regulation.
Over a million electric vehicles have been sold in California. That's 40% of all electric cars sold in the country and some companies in the auto industry say they support moving away from cars run by gasoline.
If passed, the guidelines will require 35% of new passenger vehicles be zero-emission by 2026. By 2035, all new cars and light trucks sold in California would be zero-emission.
"It means the ban of new vehicles being sold. That doesn’t mean, as much as I understand it, anybody who owns a gas vehicle, that you’re not allowed to drive it anymore after 2035," said Sven Beiker, Silicon Valley Mobility's Managing Director.
Beiker says about 30% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions come from vehicles on the road. That’s more than any other source.
"About two-thirds of that is from the use of personal vehicles. So, it’s all of us driving to work, running errands, having a good time on the weekend," Beiker said.
Ford Motor Company released a statement in response to the possibility of California’s new regulation, saying in part: "At Ford, combating climate change is a strategic priority, and we’re proud of our partnership with California for stronger vehicle emissions standards, forged during a time when climate action was under attack. We’re committed to building a zero-emissions transportation future."
"Don’t forget, vehicles are not only sold in California, not only in the United States. It’s a global market. You somehow need to transition these 100-year-old companies into the next age," Beiker said.
Last year, General Motors also announced that by 2035, it would no longer make gasoline-powered cars worldwide. In the meantime, the auto industry will still have to address the current cost of electric vehicles and access to charging stations for everyone.
Beiker says it’s not clear how the state and the auto industry plan to make electric cars and chargers more convenient for drivers, but they have about 13 years to figure it out.