California to officially ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035

The California Air Resources Board has released a rule (PDF) that outlaws the sale of all-gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035. The regulations come two years after Governor Gavin Newsom asked the agency to develop "passenger vehicle and truck regulations requiring increased volumes of new zero-emission vehicles sold in the state towards the goal of 100% sales in the state by 2035."

The board unanimously approved the rule, which will phase out the sale of combustion engine vehicles. By 2026, 35% of new car sales in the state must be electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids or hydrogen fuel cell models. This benchmark will increase to 68% by 2030 and 100% by 2035.

California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph said the move will lead to a 50% drop in pollution from light trucks and cars by 2040. The state also aims to go to 100 % renewable energy by 2045.

The rule is likely to prompt similar action by other states, as CNBC notes — New York and Massachusetts have already passed laws to that effect. California has led the way in setting tough emissions standards, with at least 15 states adopting its rules.

Many long-standing automakers and brands have already announced plans to switch fully to electric vehicles by 2035. Bentley aims to sell only plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles by 2026. Mercedes and Volvo plan to go all-electric by 2030. GM expects to complete a similar transition by 2035. Honda has set a 2040 target. electricity in Europe by 2030.

This week, Santa Rosa became the largest city in the United States to ban the opening of new gas stations, as part of efforts to combat climate change. The city, which is in Sonoma County, has an estimated population of 176,938. The Press Democrat reported that more than half of the county's 486,000 residents now live in a jurisdiction where new gas stations are banned.

Los Angeles and New York state officials are considering similar measures. Between that and the banning of gas-powered vehicle sales, perhaps one day in the not-too-distant future, the infamous Los Angeles smog will be a thing of the past.

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