California Governor Gavin Newsom proposes ban on all gas cars by 2035
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order asking the California Air Resources Board to remove gas cars from the state’s roads by 2035.
The move aims to combat climate change by allowing only zero-emission vehicles in California. It would make the state the first to ban sales of vehicles with internal combustion engines.
The announcement comes as California is battling wildfires that many experts believe are directly related to global warming. More than 3.6 million acres have burned this year and climate experts say the situation will only get worse if no steps are taken to reduce pollution.
California represents the largest economy in the USA and the fifth largest in the world, making this announcement very significant. Over 2 million vehicles were registered in California last year. It is also the leader for hybrid and electric vehicle sales in the U.S. It recently ask for zero-emissions truck regulations that will go into affect in 2024.
Although now on the table, the combustion engine restriction is sure to face pushback from automakers and Republicans, and has a long battle ahead before approval.