California, a state at the forefront of efforts for an energy transition in the United States, adopted a law on Thursday August 25 requiring new vehicles not to emit polluting gases from 2035 at the latest.
“Rapidly accelerating the number of zero-emission vehicles on our roads and highways will dramatically reduce emissions and pollution for all Californians”said in a press release Liane Randolph, president of the California Air Quality Board (California Air Resources Board, CARB), which approved the measure.
The text, which will effectively ban the sale of new diesel or gasoline cars from 2035, formalizes the objectives set in September 2020 by the Democratic governor of the state, Gavin Newsom. By 2026, a third of car sales in California will have to be vehicles “zero emissions”in other words only vehicles running on electricity, hydrogen and certain hybrid vehicles, and it should be two-thirds of sales by 2030.
An “ambitious but achievable schedule”
“The timeline is ambitious but achievable: when a child born this year is of college age, only zero-emission vehicles and a limited number of plug-in hybrid vehicles will be available for sale for new cars in California”, CARB noted. The bureau also estimates that by 2037 the new standard will result in a 25% reduction in haze from light-duty vehicles.
“This will benefit all Californians but especially the most economically and environmentally burdened communities along freeways and other high-traffic thoroughfares.”, added CARB. This organization also argues that, from 2026 to 2040, the new regulations will prevent 1,290 deaths from cardiopulmonary diseases.
The State’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, welcomed the adoption of this measure. The reduction in the number of polluting vehicles on the roads represents the equivalent of “emissions caused by 915 million barrels of oil”.
The largest market in the United States
California with its more than 40 million consumers is the largest market in the United States and its standards impact manufacturing across the country.
General Motors had already announced in January 2021 its intention to no longer build cars with polluting emissions by 2035, even if the group has not openly committed to offering only electric vehicles in 13 years.
The move in California comes as President Joe Biden signed into law a sweeping climate and health investment plan last week, which includes a $370 billion package to cut greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse by 40% by 2030.
In recent years, many countries have tried to limit pollution from the automotive sector. 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.