According to recent reports, nine states are planning to move forward with bans on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 as part of the broader green energy agenda to cut emissions and combat climate change. The Advanced Clean Cars II rules seek to phase out the internal combustion engine in favor of electric vehicle adoption.
The Advanced Clean Cars II rules came from California alongside the state Air Resources Board. The regulations in California aim to phase out the sale of new gas vehicles starting with the 2026 model year. The rule will scale back over time until 2035, when an all-encompassing ban on sales will be implemented.
California led the way with the regulatory initiative in 2022, where eight other states have followed in the Golden State’s footsteps. As of the writing of this article, Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Maryland have joined in adopting the regulation.
Notably, the regulation does not prevent residents of these states from owning or operating a gas-powered vehicle; dealerships can still sell used gas-powered cars. EV regulations such as the Advanced Clean Car Rules have been met with heavy criticism from detractors.
For example, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) launched a campaign against the rules in an effort to prevent New Jersey from implementing the regulations. Ray Cantor, the chief deputy affairs officer of the group, explained the potential impact on consumers.
“The ban on new gas-powered cars in such an expedited time does not take costs or feasibility into account,” Cantor stated. “It does not take the lack of local and highway infrastructure into account. It does not take grid capacity into account. It ignores consumer choice. It doesn’t take New Jersey residents into account, especially low- and moderate-income families. And it doesn’t take the lack of actual environmental benefit into account.”
“There’s nothing wrong with working to reduce carbon emissions,” Cantor added. “And the marketplace would have likely seen a natural increase of EV users with an organic time frame to build appropriate capacities. But the near-term, targeted mandates will increase the prices of both new and used gas-powered cars.”
However, supporters of the initiative have celebrated its purported beneficial impacts. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Director Terry Gray has labeled the effort a “major step” in reducing fossil fuel emissions in the private sector.
“In terms of economic impact, states joining together to send a clear signal to the market will result in greater economies of scale, driving down the prices of ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles), and ensuring that Rhode Island dealers and customers have full access to electric vehicles,” Gray said.
Throughout the Biden administration, a number of efforts have been undertaken to spur the adoption of electric vehicles. The American Tribune reported on the comments from an energy expert calling on Americans to “rise up against” Biden’s EV policy.
“These are cars that Americans don’t want and can’t afford. The rule that the EPA put out yesterday is bad for American consumers. It’s bad for American jobs, and it’s only good for China,” American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers stated.
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