California wants electric vehicle (EV) sales to triple over the next four years, an ambitious goal set as part of the state’s plan to phase out gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) proposal, unveiled Tuesday, will now start a months-long review process, after which the plan will still need to be approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the requirements, 35% of new automobile sales for model year 2026 must be zero-emission vehicles, such as battery- or hydrogen-powered vehicles, or plug-in hybrids.
Data from CARB shows this is a significant rise from 2021, when around 12% of all automobiles sold in the state were zero-emission vehicles, the majority of them being Tesla.
The requirement then rises to 100% of all new car sales by 2035, a target previously announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, although up to 20% of those sales can still include hybrids.
Unsurprisingly, a group of automakers that includes Ford and Toyota spoke out against the proposal. In a statement the group said that while they are “committed to electrification and a net-zero carbon transportation future,” they have concerns about the ambitious targets.
“Automakers will certainly work to meet whatever standards are eventually adopted, but these draft requirements will be extremely challenging even in California and may not be achievable in all the states that currently follow California’s program,” the group said. (via ABC10)
