New Gas Cars To Be Banned From U.S West Coast By 2035 (PDF)
By 2035, the West Coast of the U.S. will end the sale of new gasoline cars.
Washington and Oregon recently enacted rules requiring new vehicles to be mostly emission-free by 2035, allowing plug-in hybrids that also run on gasoline to continue being sold.
The two states have already adopted California’s stricter emissions standards, albeit at slightly different rates, following the state’s lead.
After gaining widespread support in 2019, Washington began to adopt California rules in 2020. Legislation to end gasoline sales was passed earlier this year, but the rules haven’t been implemented fully.
The state of Oregon has long followed California’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate and has now adopted the California rules. That makes the West Coast EV bloc increasingly difficult for automakers to ignore.
Also, Oregon was one of the early leaders in fast-charging sites per person and EVs. Last year, it started replacing its decade-old West Coast Electric Highway with a second-generation charging station.
A 2020 executive order by California, however, banned the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and light trucks that weren’t electric. As a result, the number of fully electric vehicles in the state increased from 5.1% to 15% earlier this year, earning the support of the state’s dealers.
Plug-in hybrids will also have a more extended electric range if these Advanced Clean Cars II rules are adopted-although plug-in hybrid buyers can choose to run their vehicles primarily on gasoline.
Colorado, for example, has aligned itself with California on emissions rules but recently introduced a comprehensive plan to promote EV adoption that does not include adopting California’s ACC II standards.
However, Vermont has already embraced the mandate the West Coast states are adopting. In order to align itself with rules in British Columbia and Quebec, which already account for 35% of that country’s market, Canada has announced a 100% ZEV sales target for 2035.
As electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids become the norm in new cars, and gasoline models become the fringe, automakers may become increasingly concerned about the North American shift.
