All new cars sold in California will have to be “zero emission” pollutants, no later than 2035, according to a text that must be approved this week in this state at the forefront of efforts for an energy transition in the country. .
The measure, which will be debated on Thursday by the California Air Quality Board (CARB), will formalize the goals set in September 2020 by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, and should encourage other states to do the same.
The project, which has a “99.9%” chance of being approved according to one of the CARB members, Daniel Sperling, who spoke with CNN, foresees different stages. Both diesel and gasoline vehicles are in the spotlight.
“It’s monumental”
Thus, in 2026, a third of car sales in California must be “zero emission” vehicles, that is, only vehicles that run on electricity, hydrogen and certain hybrid vehicles, and both must be a third of sales by 2030 .
“It’s monumental,” said Daniel Sperling. “It’s the most important thing the California Office of Air Quality has done in the last 30 years. It’s important not only for California, but for the country and the world.”
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 already announced in January 2021 its intention to stop manufacturing cars with polluting emissions by 2035, although the group has not openly committed to offering only electric vehicles in 13 years.
The very likely passage of the California measure is expected to come as President Joe Biden last week signed into law a sweeping climate and health investment plan, including a $370 billion package to cut greenhouse emissions by a 40% by 2030.
Source: BFM TV
