Seven automakers on Monday submit a summary in a lawsuit in federal court challenging California’s ability to set higher emissions standards—with California.
The lawsuit—Ohio v. EPA—pending in the United States Court of Appeals in Washington. It was introduced by 17 Republican-led states seeking to revoke California’s Clean Air Act exemption, which would allow the state to set emissions standards higher than federal standards for itself and any property. any state that wants to adopt them.
The plaintiffs currently objecting to California’s regulations are Ohio, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebrasks, Oklahome, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. They argue that stringent emissions standards are forcing a shift towards electric vehicles and thus represent regulatory overreach.
2023VolkswagenID.4
However, in an unusual case of the industry voicing stronger regulations, several automakers have testified to California. They include Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Honda and Volvo, with Lucid, Rivian and Tesla also represented in the brief through the National Coalition for Advanced Transportation, along with several electric utilities and charging companies. EVgo.
Essentially, the automakers argue that California’s emissions regulations are in line with market forces, while briefly noting that demand for electric vehicles has increased dramatically.
“Given that California’s program is broadly aligned with consumer needs and other regulatory and market forces driving automotive electrification,” the summary reads “it does not represent” the wholesale change “in the nationwide fleet.”
2023 BMW i4 eDrive35
Ford, BMW, Honda, Volkswagen also backed California in an earlier challenge to California’s emissions agency by the Trump administration. Several automakers have supported the administration’s attempt to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waiver—and continue to protest.
common engine stop actively challenging California standards in November 2020, days after a series of state results were certified, securing Biden’s win. But not before. The last Toyota accredited California emissions agency just last year.
After the election, the EPA run by Biden announced the plan restore California’s emissions agency in April 2021 and set recovery process moving at that time. Pending the outcome of the lawsuit, this allows California to synchronize standards with plan end date 2035 for most internal combustion engine vehicles. Among motor vehicles, only plug-in hybrids will remainand even those cars will have to meet tighter exhaust emissions and higher standards for electric range.
