California is going all in on electric vehicles and zero-emission transportation. The state just approved the ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. This kind of policy is the first of its kind in the United States and among the first in the world.
Adopted by California Air Resources Board, the rule will require all car makers to stop selling cars with internal combustion engines by the set date while also imposing several milestones along the way. This includes 35% zero emissions cars by 2026, with the figure then jumping to 68% by 2030.
The policy doesn’t mean that people won’t be able to buy gas-powered cars after 2035. It only applies to the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines. Also, the sale of hybrids will still be allowed.
It remains to be seen how successful will California’s transition to zero-emission transportation will be considering the lack of necessary infrastructure and the fact that only around 2% of all vehicles in the state are electric. Still, the state governor Gavin Newsom believes this is the step in the right direction for a pollution-free future.
“The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution,” Newsom, who initiated the policy two years ago, said on Wednesday.
California’s new rule on gas-powered cars will likely result in similar policies across the nation, considering there are 17 other states that closely follow California when it comes to emissions regulations.