An Automotive Minute [S2|E35] California's Electric Future with Devin Lindsay
So you’re looking to purchase a new car in the state of California in 2035? Well, you can have any powertrain you want, as long as it’s electric.
California Governor Gavin Newson signed an executive order setting a goal of requiring all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the state to be zero-emission vehicles, which are battery electric or fuel cell, by 2035.
Now all of this comes as California remains locked in a legal battle with the Trump administration. The state is suing over to reinstate a waiver that allows it to set its own fuel economy standards that are separate from the federal government’s. If Donald Trump is re-elected, we expect the battle to be decided in the courts. But if Joe Biden is elected, we expect California to have its waiver reinstated.
So you may be asking, “Can automakers just choose not to sell cars in California if it does not want to invest in an entire fleet of electric vehicles just to fill a dealership?” Sure, but California is the biggest light vehicle market in the United States, representing 11% of total US sales last year. That really makes it a state that can’t be ignored by the automotive companies.
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