8 States Considered Policy On Cars
In a major move towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning towards a more sustainable future, at least eight states have announced plans to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in the next decade. California, which has been at the forefront of this shift, has already adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II legislation, which will put a complete ban on new sales of gas-powered cars by 2035. Other states such as Rhode Island, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, and the District of Columbia have also made similar commitments.
Under the Advanced Clean Cars II legislation, only zero-emission vehicles would be allowed to be sold in participating states beginning from the 2035 model year. This means that automakers and dealerships would be prohibited from selling new gas cars in these states from that point onwards. However, Americans will still have the option to buy used or secondhand gas vehicles and will not be forced to take their gas-powered cars off the road.
These states have gone further than the latest federal legislation announced last week by the Biden administration, which aims to gradually phase out gas cars by 2032. The new federal rules require automakers to reduce the tailpipe emissions of new vehicles by around 50 percent from model year 2026 to 2032. This is achievable by targeting 35 percent to 56 percent of vehicles that need to be EVs and 13 percent to 36 percent that need to be plug-in hybrids by 2032. The initial proposal was for two-thirds of all cars sold by 2030 to be EVs, but this was modified to provide carmakers with more flexibility to comply.
It is worth noting that although the new federal legislation has made significant progress toward reducing emissions, it does not go as far as the Advanced Clean Cars II legislation. This means that carmakers will eventually stop manufacturing full gas-powered successors to the beloved muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s under Biden’s latest edict. However, Dodge recently announced that the 2024 Charger will be available as a gas-powered muscle car as well as a new all-electric vehicle.
The adoption of the Advanced Clean Cars II rule will put pressure on automakers to expedite their production of electric and hybrid vehicles in order to meet the state targets. According to Kelley Blue Book, EVs made up 7.6 percent of new car sales in 2023, a significant increase from 3.2 percent in 2021. However, there is a clear disparity in electric car adoption across the country, with some areas seeing more than 10 times as many electric vehicles being purchased than others.
This disparity is further highlighted by data from S&P Global Mobility, which shows that the West Coast, particularly California, continues to dominate the market for electric cars. On the other hand, places like Detroit, the nation’s auto capital, have very few residents purchasing electric cars. However, some major carmakers such as General Motors are ramping up their production of electric vehicles and have announced plans to fully transition to EV sales by 2035.
In addition to fully electric vehicles, hybrid cars are also playing a significant role in reducing emissions and transitioning towards a sustainable future. Edmunds reports that hybrid vehicles are now selling twice as quickly as gas cars, with traditional hybrids selling within 25 days on average compared to 52 days for gas cars. This could be attributed to the fact that hybrid cars have both a gas-powered internal combustion engine and an electric motor, making them a more practical choice for those not yet ready to fully switch to electric vehicles.
It is clear that both federal and state governments are taking significant steps towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles. As more states announce plans to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars, it is expected that automakers will continue to increase their production and investment in electric and hybrid vehicles.
This will not only help to reduce emissions but also provide consumers with more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation options. It remains to be seen how carmakers and consumers will adapt to these changes, but it is clear that the transition towards a more sustainable transportation sector is well underway.