The US West Coast is about to ban new gasoline cars by 2035

The entire West Coast of the United States now aims to end sales of new gasoline cars by 2035.

Specifically, Washington and Oregon recently enacted rules requiring new vehicles to be virtually emission-free by 2035. These plans would allow continued sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles that also run on gasoline, in line with consistent with existing goals in California.

Both states have followed California’s lead by adopting state emissions standards that are stricter than federal standards, albeit at slightly different speeds.

I-5 traffic in Seattle

Washington begins California rules apply in 2020, after the move received widespread support in 2019. It supported that with legislative action. Stop selling petrol cars earlier this year, but has yet to fully implement California’s rules.

Oregon has long been subject to California’s zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) regulation that requires electric vehicle sales, and this week the state also finalized the adoption of California’s rules. That forms a block of electric vehicles on the West Coast that will increasingly challenge automakers to ignore.

Oregon was also one of the first leader for fast charging sites per person and per EV, and last year it started replacing the decades old system West Coast Electric Highway with the second generation of charging equipment. So it is on track to handle the growing number of electric vehicles.

Electric Avenue charging station in Portland, Oregon [photo: Portland General Electric]

However, California led the way in efficiency Forbidden to sell new gasoline passenger cars and light trucks that don’t rely on electrification, with executive order 2020. That has largely received the support of state dealers, as the percentage of vehicles that run the car is completely equal. electricity in the state passed 15% earlier this year—up from 5.1% in 2019.

Applying these Advanced Clean Cars II rules behind the EV mission also requires a Higher power range for plug-in hybrid—though nothing prevents plug-in hybrid buyers from choosing to run their vehicles primarily on gasoline.

Toyota Prius Prime 2023 (European spec)

Some states are laying out a middle ground. For example, Colorado has aligned with California on emissions rules but recently launched a comprehensive plan to stimulate transition to electric vehicles in the state that does not yet include the application of the ACC II rules of the state. California.

That said, Vermont is poised to take on the mandate that West Coast states are adopting. And this week, the entire nation of Canada announced its own proposed 100% ZEV sales target for 2035, which would essentially match the rules in British Columbia and Quebec, which already account for 35 % of that country’s market.

Despite the lack of national authorization, as electric and plug-in hybrids become the norm for new cars and gasoline-powered models are no longer available, automakers could see a change in North America is increasingly urgent.

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With additional reporting by Bengt Halvorson