Plans in California to ban gas-powered cars by 2035 were killed this Thursday when the Senate voted in favor of H.J. Res 88, a joint resolution that nullifies a previous Environmental Protection Agency action.
U.S. Senators voted along party lines to nullify the previous EPA action, with Republicans voting in favor of nullification and Democrats voting against it.
“What it means for the state of California is that we’re going to continue on pretty much the path we... set out on about 10 or 15 years ago,” political insider Phil Matier explained this week. “We are transitioning more and more. From fossil fuels to sun to wind to electric vehicles and that sort of thing. But it’s not going to be mandated. It’s going to have to be more on the market rather than a mandate.”
While some Democrats, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, are less than thrilled about the bill passing, Matier said that it might be for the best.
“California wanted it done by 2035 – new cars in California would have to be 100% electric. That’s not economically feasible,” he explained. “It’s been clearer and clearer that it’s not physically feasible. We don’t have the infrastructure electronics to handle it, the charging stations. We don’t have that, so in some ways California was given a break.”
In a statement following the Senate action, John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said: “The fact is these EV sales mandates were never achievable. Automakers warned federal and state policymakers that reaching these EV sales targets would take a miracle, especially in the coming years when the mandates get exponentially tougher.”
For some background, Matier added that former governor Jerry Brown began setting goals for adopting electric vehicles over gas vehicles that have proven to be unrealistic, though California has made progress in transitioning to hybrid vehicles. At the same time, he noted that the Senate’s move does set back some environmental initiatives, since the bill will impact 11 other states as well.
“Whether or not you can mandate that’s… where it gets dicey,” said Matier. Furthermore, he pointed out that electric vehicle drivers don’t have to pay gas taxes though the cars themselves still put wear and tear on roads. Matier added that the federal government seems to be blocking California from setting the EV path for the rest of the country, since it is the largest market.
Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday that the state would file a lawsuit “as Republicans in the U.S. Senate target California’s clean vehicles program – a move that will ‘Make America Smoggy Again,’” and claimed that the Senate’s action was illegal. Bonta also said that it demonstrated that GOP lawmakers were “bending the knee” to President Donald Trump.
“It’s a setback for Gavin Newsom. He’s going to be screaming at the White House about this, threatening lawsuits,” said Matier. “I’m not sure they're going to go anywhere, but I think that quietly, some people are breathing a sigh of relief saying... at least it’s coming back to earth and getting more realistic.”
When asked if Newsom is really all in on the 2025 deadline, Matier said this: “He is now, that it’s not gonna to happen!”