The Biden administration on Wednesday approved California’s plan to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035 — a move intended to solidify the outgoing president’s climate solutions as he prepares to hand over power.
EPA issued a waiver allowing the state to start implementing its Advanced Clean Cars II rule in 2026, according to a news release. Carmakers in California will have to sell increasing numbers of electric vehicles, fuel-cell vehicles or plug-in hybrids each year until 2035. After that, the sale of most gas-powered cars would be forbidden.
“California has longstanding authority to request waivers from EPA to protect its residents from dangerous air pollution coming from mobile sources like cars and trucks,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in the news release. “Today’s actions follow through on EPA’s commitment to partner with states to reduce emissions and act on the threat of climate change.”
Eleven other states and the District of Columbia, which make up about 30 percent of the U.S. car market, also are adopting the rule, although some won’t start enforcing it until 2027.
President Joe Biden has made electric vehicles one of his signature issues, arguing that supporting the industry would both address climate change and create domestic jobs.
EPA and Department of Transportation passed federal regulations that are expected to push EVs and hybrids to two-thirds of new car sales by 2032.
The Clean Air Act allows California to write stricter pollution standards than the federal government, but each rule has to be approved by EPA.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he’ll block California’s EV ambitions and dismantle the federal program.
