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October 6, 2022

There’s no doubt about it: Electric and self-driving vehicles are the future. However, it’s possible that politicians and policymakers are moving too fast. And, in doing so, they may actually be putting the public in more danger.

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California, U.S. Government Take Major Steps to Ban Gas-Fueled Vehicles

In a recent vote praised by the left and mocked by the right, California state regulators reached an agreement to ban the sale of new gasoline-fueled cars by the year 2035. The decision is a significant one, as the state is the largest auto market in the country and could influence regulators in other states to follow their lead.

“Seventeen states comprising about 40 percent of national car sales already follow California’s vehicle emission standards,” Amna Nawaz reports for PBS.org. “Experts say most will likely apply the new mandate once it’s approved. At least three of those states have so-called trigger laws in place, automatically matching California’s standards.”

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The decision to implement a future ban on vehicles with internal combustion engines has been in discussion for quite some time. Embattled California governor Gavin Newsom first issued an executive order that included the 2035 target back in 2020. But the August vote was the first indicator that it may actually come to fruition.

In addition to the 2035 ban, there are several short-term targets in place. For example, 35 percent of all vehicles produced must be hybrid or fully battery powered by 2026 (and 68 percent by 2030). Auto manufacturers who fail to meet these targets will be required to buy credits from other manufacturers who have.

California isn’t alone in its move to ban gas-powered vehicles. In December 2021, the U.S. government also announced its intentions to move in a new direction.

According to an executive order signed by President Joe Biden, the U.S. government will end purchases of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 in an effort to lower emissions and promote the manufacturing of electric cars.

Currently, the government owns a fleet of more than 650,000 vehicles and purchases an estimated 50,000 annually. They represent one of the largest buyers of vehicles for U.S. auto manufacturers.

As part of the executive order, federal government operations are hopeful to reduce emissions by 65 percent by 2030. The government will also seek to consume electricity only from carbon-free and non-polluting sources by 2030. The ultimate goal is net-zero emissions by 2050.