California votes to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035

Gas-powered cars may be a thing of the past in California.

And sure, the roads are still filled with them now, but in the next decade, that could change.

According to Rolling Stone, the California Air Resource Board voted Thursday to implement the country’s first ban on gas-guzzlers.

Or, at the very least, on the sale of gas-guzzlers.

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Limiting the sale of Gas-Powered Cars

Called the “Advanced Clean Cars II” proposal, the measure lays out the plan to combat climate change by reducing the number of fossil-fuel-burning vehicles on the road.

Rolling Stone quotes Governor Gavin Newsom:

The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution

The move would encourage the sale of new, environmentally friendly vehicles over the course of the next decade.

Rolling Stone quotes Margo Ore, a former member of the EPA:

California will now be the only government in the world that mandates zero-emission vehicles… It is unique.

Specifically, the measure would create a series of goals through 2035.

By 2026, the state hopes 35% of new vehicles are electric.

That number jumps to 51% by 2028.

68% by 2030.

And lastly, 100% of all new car sales in 2035 would need to be electric.

Combatting climate change

Rolling stone quotes Daniel Sperling, from the California Air Resource Board:

This is the most important thing that CARB has done in the last 30 years. It’s important not just for California, but it’s important for the country and the world.

After the measure takes effect, other states are expected to enact similar measures.

KRON4 notes that California currently has the largest number of registered electric vehicles in the US, with 43% of the country’s overall total.

They quote Bill Magavern from the Coalition for Clean Air: