By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach
If electric cars are better, why ban gas powered cars?
Will you get rid of your car, will you move out of state, or will you comply and sell your gas-powered car, install a charging station, and buy an electric car?
California is planning to officially ban the sale of gas-powered cars and trucks by 2035, and due to a legal technicality, more than one-third of US states may soon follow suit.
California is making a very strong statement regarding emissions due to a carve-out in the US Clean Air Act and the California Air Research Board. The California Air Research Board (CARB) bill requires 35 percent of cars sold in California to be electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen by 2026, and that ramps up eight percent a year after that.
California is the only state in the US that can make emissions standard mandates beyond the federal government even though the constitution states that one state cannot make the rules for the other 49 states.
The law also allows for a loophole that permits other US states to adopt California’s standards without the federal government’s approval, and not getting its citizens input.
Voters should make the call not the government. Currently only 16 percent of vehicles on the road are EV’s. This is all when the range and availability of cars with the car shortage, the batteries that are reliant on Chinese rare earth mineral and no tax credit unless they are built and the batteries materials are from North America.
Average price of an electric car is $66,000 and does not reduce climate change. This is has not been well thought out.
Another fact to consider only 18 percent of current vehicles in California are electric and only 6.3 percent of current vehicles across the whole US are electric vehicles. Not much and the grid can barely support what’s in use. Especially when CA sent a letter out to all is residents to cut back on charging completely, raise thermostats to 80 degrees, and shut off all their lights because of an electricity shortage and the strain on the grid.
Obviously, more EVs is not the answer and will only make things worse.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, announced a state plan to phase out gas-powered cars two years ago. Other states have since opted into California’s standards and now will officially have the ability to follow suit. So far, 17 states have agreed to follow California’s plan, there is no requirement for them to follow through.
California’s rule does not ban the sale of gas-powered cars on the used car market. You’re not going to get fined if you drive a gas car after 2035. This is only about new car sales, per the current law, which could change.
However, as more states adopt California’s measures, it could be a real “tipping point” for the electric vehicle industry. At some point, it’s going to be hard to find a gas station but that won’t happen overnight.
Here are the states that have signed on to California’s vehicle standards and may be next to ban the sale of gas-powered cars. Remember this can change as most of these governors will likely not be in office in 2035.
As states struggle economically and citizens push back, things can change, if you stand your ground.
A fact to consider: between 1980 and 2020, the combined emissions from the six most common air pollutants dropped 78 percent thanks in large part to advancements in cleaner ICE technology, which continues to improve.
States Complying
| New York – Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill to phase out new gas-powered cars and trucks. California’s rule is official, New York’s will also take effect. |
| Massachusetts state’s Department of Environmental Protection will adopt and implement California’s standard for clean cars. The state will also explore strategies to reduce the cost of electric vehicles. |
| Vermont wants to increase the sale of electric vehicles over the next decade. The state’s department of environmental conservation estimates that by 2025, 5.4 percent of new vehicles sold in Vermont will be required to be zero-emission vehicles. |
| Maine has its own climate action plan called “Maine Won’t Wait.” The state’s governor, Janet Mills, says the state will put more than 200,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2030. |
| Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill that requires that all cars registered to the state of Washington be electric by 2030, five years before California’s plan takes full effect. |
| Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill that ensures “Connecticut residents and businesses can access clean, affordable passenger vehicles, trucks, school buses, transit buses, and electric bikes”. The state has committed to putting 150,000 EVs on the road by 2025. |
| Oregon has set a goal for at least 90 percent of new vehicles sold annually to be zero-emission by 2035. |
| New Jersey said it would work to increase the number of EVs and related infrastructure on the road. New Jersey stated that by 2040, 85 percent of new light-duty vehicles sold would be EVs. |
| Maryland‘s “Clean Car Program” was adopted and allows the state to adopt California’s Low Emission Vehicle Program. The state’s department of transportation recently released a plan for electric vehicle infrastructure funding. |
| Delaware‘s Governor John Carney announced the state would adopt California’s regulations. The state committed to reducing its carbon emissions by at least 26 percent by 2025. |
| Colorado Governor Jared Polis said the state is taking action to achieve 100 percent renewable energy in Colorado by 2040. |
| Rhode Island‘s governor, Daniel McKee, recently joined 11 other state governors that supports phasing out gas-powered cars by 2035. |
| Minnesota officially signed on to California’s emissions rules in 2021. It is the first Midwestern state to do so. Some lawmakers want Minnesota to abandon California’s clean car standards. |
| New Mexico‘s Clean Car Rule has gone into effect. The rule begins phasing out gas-powered cars, trucks, and SUVs starting in 2026. |
| Virginia signed on to California’s clean car standards in 2021. The state has joined the effort to start curbing pollution in trucks and heavy-duty vehicles in 2030. |
| Nevada has set goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2025 and 45 percent by 2030. The state’s current rule making does not seek to adopt California’s recommendations to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035. |
| Pennsylvania has not officially announced that it will join California’s plan to ban selling new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The state has taken steps to support electric vehicle use, including granting funding to install chargers in high-traffic areas. |
“Despite this positive trend, California’s EV sale mandates are still very aggressive–even in California with decades of supportive EV policies–and will be extremely challenging,” said John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. “That’s just a fact.” The state’s objectives depend on many factors, such as “inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage.”
Since the overwhelming majority of Americans prefer gas-powered cars to electric vehicles, Joe Biden and California will force EVs on the population. Even though one in five electric vehicle owners in California switched back to gas powered vehicle because of the inconvenience of charging.
One huge factor is that it takes about seven minutes to fill up a gas tank, yet some electric vehicles need several hours of charging to drive 35 miles. Charging electric vehicles is a total “hassle” say 20 percent of EV owners surveyed between 2012 and 2018 so they’re going back to gas, researchers found.
How is CA going to produce enough electric from wind and solar. There isn’t enough power.
If electric cars are better – why ban gas powered cars? Why are we bribing people to buy them?
There is so much more to discuss on this, put your comments below and let’s start the conversation.
The opinions expressed in posts to the NMA Blog belong to the author and do not necessarily represent the National Motorists Association. The content of the NMA Blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. No representations are made regarding the accuracy of NMA Blog posts or links found within those posts.
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, analyst, author, and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and aspects, energy, industry, consumer news, and safety issues.
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
I won’t comply…..
Fr electric car cost 60k and up
My husband do not live in one of those states that are going to require electric. What about those of us who are on a fixed income literally. We are not going to be able to afford an electric car. How would we be able to be able to go to the doctor, church, etc. It does not make sense.
The United States and other countries are committing suicide by going to electric vehicles. This will not end well.
Reasons EV’s are a terrible idea:
1) Limited range before needing to recharge
2) Limited number of charging stations
3) Crazy amount of time it takes to recharge
4) Cost of EV’s
5) Source of electricity for recharging – Natural gas & oil!!
6) Source of materials for EV’s – rare elements from China, Hi grade nickel from Russia, Cobalt from child and women slave labor in Africa
7) Need to dispose of EV batteries when they reach end of life – bad for environment
8) Due to generally heavier weight of EV’s, they are already destroying roadways
Among other reasons too numerous to list!!
They will force everyone to buy a car they can’t afford, while they drive their gas powered cars. If you can only drive 35+ miles they can keep control of you and know where you are at all times. It’s the new world order coming to a town near you. My hopes are that we will get a new government after Biden.
They have suckered you in believing their narrative. Emissions have already been loosened. Car manufacturers have cut expectations on ev but you can believe trump will save you, he won’t he will be in prison a convicted felon.
This is just fear mongering from the petroleum industry and of coarse republicans. Emissions must be cut, there will always be ice vehicles. The petroleum industry doesn’t even pump from all their wells, keeping prices high.