California is urging the Biden administration to approve its proposal, which requires all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 to be electric, hydrogen-powered or plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). entirely electric, according to a letter seen and reported on by Reuters.
California Air Resources Board (CARB) plan approval in Augustbut it still needs to get the green light from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce its own vehicle emissions standards.
On Monday, CARB asked the EPA to approve an exemption under the Clean Air Act that would allow it to implement the new rules. Specifically, the rules require that PHEVs, EVs or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles account for 35% of new car sales in 2026, 68% in 2030 and 100% in 2035. Automakers sell up to 20% of PHEVs by 2035, but they need at least 50 miles of all-electric range to qualify.
Importantly, the requirements do not ban internal combustion engine vehicles from the roads, nor do they prevent any used car sales in the state. But the ultimate goal is to accelerate the transition to zero-emissions vehicles.
California has made some progress toward its goals. By 2022, nearly 19% of all new cars sold in the state are zero-emissions vehicles, representing about 40% of all ZEVs sold in the United States. Bang is also investing 2.9 billion USD to accelerate California’s electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling goals and hope to receive 384 million USD federal funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program to install charging stations.
In the past, the EPA has granted California such exemptions, although in the past there have been conflicts that have led to legal disputes. The Trump administration tried to remove California’s authority to set its own strict ZEV and exhaust standards, but in March 2022, the EPA restored the state’s right to do so under the Act. Fresh air. Car manufacturers like Ford, common engineVolkswagen, BMW, Honda, Volvo and Toyota supported the Biden administration’s effort to restore California’s authority over its own air.
California’s high population and air quality concerns mean that the state has played a powerful role in shaping environmental policies at the national level. CARB has the sole authority granted by the Clean Air Act to set stricter emissions standards for vehicles than the federal government. As a result, California often sets trends that other states can follow.
A month after CARB passed a ban on gas-powered vehicles, New York passes similar law. Earlier this month, Rhode Island joined Washington, Virginia, Vermont, Oregon, Massachusetts and at least seven other countries in adopting California’s ZEV requirements.
The CARB’s 60-page waiver request reviewed by Reuters says California’s new rules will cost the state $210.35 billion through 2040, but total benefits will reach $301.41 billion la.
The Biden administration has yet to confirm a date for phasing out the sale of gas-powered vehicles. An EPA spokesperson told Reuters the agency would follow a public process in reviewing California’s request.
CARB did not promptly respond to TechCrunch’s request to see the waiver appeal or respond to any questions.
