Senate Blocks California’s Petrol Car Ban by 2035
The US Senate has voted to obstruct California’s initiative to ban new petrol-powered vehicles by 2035, challenging the state’s plan to increase electric vehicle sales. The Senate approved the measure with a 51-44 vote, forwarding it to President Donald Trump, who is likely to endorse it.
This legislation nullifies a waiver granted by former President Joe Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency, which allowed California to enforce stringent emissions standards, mandating that all new vehicle sales be electric by 2035. This waiver faced opposition from the automotive industry, petroleum producers, and Republicans, including Trump.
California’s vehicle standards are considered vital to achieving its climate targets. However, sales of zero-emission vehicles have stalled in the state over the past two years.
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the Senate’s decision, stating, "Senate Republicans are illegally using the Congressional Review Act to undermine California’s efforts to maintain clean air." He highlighted the role of California’s regulations in supporting the development of companies like Tesla.
For decades, California has had the autonomy to set its environmental policies, establishing the Air Resources Board in 1967 under Governor Ronald Reagan to combat pollution. The state’s significant market influence forced automakers to comply with its regulations. Following California’s lead, eleven other states adopted similar emissions and fuel-efficiency rules.
In 2022, California introduced regulations to phase out gasoline and diesel vehicles. The strategy requires 35% of car sales to be low-emission by the following year, increasing to 68% by 2030, with a complete ban on new petrol cars by 2035, imposing penalties for non-compliance.
The automotive industry lobbied the federal government to invalidate the policy. John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, argued the legislation was necessary to preserve consumer choice and competitiveness in the American auto industry, stating that the mandates for electric vehicle sales were unrealistic.
Bozzella expressed concerns that automakers would divert resources to purchase credits from electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla, rather than investing in their own low-emission technology.
Data from the California Energy Commission indicated that roughly 25% of new cars registered in California last year were zero-emission, a figure unchanged from 2023.
