All articles tagged with #zero emission vehicles
Governor Newsom signed an executive order to advance California's clean vehicle initiatives, including developing new regulations, updating purchasing requirements, and promoting affordable zero-emission vehicles, as part of the state's ongoing efforts to improve air quality and combat climate change amidst federal opposition.
Toyota is challenging California's CARB regulations that require 35% of 2026 model-year vehicle sales to be zero-emission, calling the target "impossible" due to insufficient consumer demand. The CARB mandate, part of the "Advanced Clean Cars II" initiative, aims for 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. Despite some states adopting these rules, current zero-emission vehicle sales are far below the required levels, with only California, Colorado, and Washington reaching over 20%. Toyota warns that the mandates could disrupt the automotive market.
The Biden administration has announced new regulations aimed at boosting sales of electric and zero-emission heavy vehicles, such as school buses and cement mixers, as part of its efforts to combat global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency projects that by 2032, 25 percent of new long-haul trucks and 40 percent of medium-size trucks could be nonpolluting. The regulation applies to over 100 types of vehicles and sets increasingly stringent limits on truck pollution, leaving it up to manufacturers to decide how to comply, which could include technologies like hybrids or hydrogen fuel cells.
Stellantis, the maker of vehicles for Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep, has agreed to comply with California's strict vehicle emissions standards, which require a significant portion of new vehicle sales to be zero-emission or plug-in hybrid by 2030. This move aligns with Governor Gavin Newsom's efforts to combat global warming and follows the Biden administration's restoration of California's authority to set its own tailpipe pollution standards. Stellantis joins other major automakers in following California's rules, and the agreement is expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company will also invest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure in California and other states that adopt similar regulations.
California is accelerating the implementation of its climate change policies, fearing potential hindrances from a second Trump administration. The state's Air Resources Board has delayed enforcing new rules, such as the mandate for trucking fleets to transition to zero-emission vehicles, due to pending federal approvals from the EPA. The Biden administration's EPA is currently facing a backlog of waiver requests from California, which seeks to set stricter emissions standards than federal levels. Environmentalists and state officials are concerned that bureaucratic delays could jeopardize these climate initiatives, especially if there is a shift in presidential administration following the next election.
Canada has announced that all new cars sold in the country must be zero-emission by 2035, as part of efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions. The plan requires auto manufacturers to increase the share of fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles sold in the coming years. The Electric Vehicle Availability Standard will gradually increase the percentage of zero-emission vehicles sold, reaching 100% by 2035. Automakers failing to meet the targets can buy credits from other manufacturers or invest in charging infrastructure. The move aims to catch up with European nations and the US in promoting electric vehicle sales, but Canada currently lags behind its targets.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive directive requiring the state government to transition its fleet of cars and trucks to zero-emission vehicles by 2040. Currently, only three out of over 8,000 vehicles in the state's fleet are electric. The directive aims to reduce air pollution, support the demand for Michigan-made electric vehicles, and lower fuel costs. Under the new policy, government agencies must begin transitioning to zero-emission vehicles, with light-duty vehicles converted by 2033 and medium- to heavy-duty vehicles by 2040. The directive allows for exceptions but encourages alternate decarbonization strategies. This move aligns with Michigan's efforts to promote electric vehicle manufacturing and its recent legislation for a 100% clean energy standard by 2040.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has withdrawn regulations that would have phased out the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 after facing opposition from the legislature's Regulation Review Committee. The committee was set to vote against the regulations, prompting the administration to pull them. Instead, Lamont and legislators will propose an alternative plan to keep Connecticut in line with the timetable established by California and other states to phase out new sales of most gas-powered vehicles. The proposed regulations aimed to require all new vehicles sold in the state to have zero emissions by 2035.
New Jersey will ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 in an effort to improve air quality and reduce planet-warming pollutants. The state will gradually limit the sale of new gasoline-powered cars starting in 2027, eventually reaching zero in 2035. The rule does not prohibit ownership or use of gasoline-powered cars, but encourages a transition to zero-emission vehicles. The move has been opposed by business groups, citing concerns about costs, feasibility, infrastructure, and consumer choice. Environmental groups have praised the decision as a win for the environment and public health.
The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission has approved a plan that requires 82% of all new cars and trucks sold in the state to be electric or zero-emission vehicles by 2032. The rule aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address Colorado's severe ozone pollution problems. While environmental groups wanted a 100% requirement by 2035, they still applauded the new rule as a step toward progress. The plan aligns with Governor Jared Polis's goal of having over 2 million electric vehicles on the roads by 2035. Gas-powered vehicles will not be outlawed, allowing motorists to purchase and drive used cars or buy from other states.
California lawmakers have agreed to allocate 15% of funds from a billion-dollar climate program to support the construction of hydrogen fueling stations for cars and trucks, despite the fact that only about 12,000 hydrogen vehicles are currently owned in the state. The compromise deal, which is part of a bill reauthorizing fees for the Clean Transportation Program, aims to spend around $106 million on new hydrogen fueling stations by 2030. While some experts argue that the funding is a waste for an industry that has not proven itself, supporters believe it will encourage more people to purchase zero-emission cars and help cut air pollution.
California has approved new rules to phase out the sale of new diesel big rigs and buses by 2036, as part of its efforts to combat climate change and reduce pollution from heavy trucks used to transport goods through ports. The rule would require companies to disclose their use of these trucks by 2024. The state has previously approved ambitious emissions standards, including requiring all new cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs to be electric or hydrogen by 2035. The American Trucking Associations called the rule "unrealistic," while environmental groups praised the move.
California has reached its 1.5 million electric vehicle sales milestone two years ahead of schedule, with the state's EV market share for new cars standing at 21%, the highest in the US. The milestone has been aided by $2 billion in zero-emission vehicle incentives distributed by the state over the years. California's early achievement echoes that of Norway, which targeted an end to gas car sales in 2025, but was already basically there four years ahead of schedule. The EPA announced new emissions rules which could result in 67% of new car sales being electric in the US by 2032.
The Biden Administration is set to propose tighter tailpipe emission standards that will make it harder and more expensive to sell gasoline-burning, carbon-dioxide-emitting cars in the future. This move is part of the administration's efforts to encourage the U.S. auto industry to make more zero-emission vehicles.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has approved California's plan to phase out diesel-powered trucks, requiring truck manufacturers to sell an increasing number of zero-emission trucks over the next couple of decades. The rule applies to a wide range of trucks including box trucks, semitrailers and even large passenger pick-ups. The transportation sector accounts for nearly 40% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions. Companies owning 50 or more trucks will have to report information to the state about how they use these trucks to ship goods and provide shuttle services. Manufacturers will have to sell a higher percentage of zero-emission vehicles starting in 2024.