California announced an ambitious plan to continue the gradual increase in the sale of electric and zero-emission vehicles. The state is planning to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035 as a big step towards decreasing their use.
According to Daniel Sperling, who is on the California Air Resources Board for the department of transportation, “This is a hugely important inflection point. This rule finally, definitively puts us on the path to 100% zero-emission vehicles,” and that “Other countries and other states, they watch what California does, and so this will reverberate around the world.”
In a statement, an alliance representing virtually all auto manufacturers stated that they are “committed to electrification and a net-zero carbon transportation future.” Many major automakers, including General Motors, have already declared plans to scale up their green car models in a comparable period.
According to California air pollution inspectors, the new mandate would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 384 million metric tons between 2026 and 2040, which is more than the state emitted from all sources in 2019.
Although the cost of electric vehicles is higher than those of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, on average customers are predicted to save $3500 over 10 years and even more as time progresses. To counter customers’ skepticism, manufacturers would be required to achieve a certain minimum performance, durability, and warranty standards for zero-emission automobiles. Cars must be able to go at least 150 miles on a single charge, up from the existing 50-mile requirement, and batteries must last longer and come with a manufacturer’s warranty.
The goal, in the end, is to ensure that new EVs “can serve as full replacement vehicles for conventional vehicles in every household.” With California turning to an all-electric future, the rest of the country can expect more changes in the future.
