All new cars sold in California will have to be “zero emission” polluting, from 2035 at the latest, according to a text which must be adopted this week. The state is at the forefront of energy transition efforts in the United States.
The measure, which will formalize the objectives set in September 2020 by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, must be debated on Thursday by the Californian office responsible for air quality (California Air Resources Board, CARB). The project has a “99.9%” chance of being approved, according to one of the CARB members, Daniel Sperling.
The document provides for different steps. Thus, in 2026, a third of car sales in California will have to concern “zero emission” vehicles, in other words, only vehicles running on electricity, hydrogen and certain hybrid vehicles. In 2030, it should be two-thirds of sales.
biggest market
“It’s monumental,” said Sperling. “It’s the most important thing the California Air Quality Bureau has done in the past 30 years. It’s important not just for California, but for the country and the world.” With its more than 40 million consumers, California is the largest market in the United States. Its standards impact manufacturing across the country.
General Motors has already announced in January 2021 its intention to no longer build, by 2035, cars with polluting emissions, even if the group has not openly committed to offering only electric vehicles in 13 years. The United Kingdom, Singapore and Israel have committed to ending sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and Norway has made this commitment for 2025.
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