California Requests EPA Approval to Prohibit Sale of Gasoline-Only Cars by 2035

The US state of California has submitted a plan to the government for approval. The plan entails the sale of only electric or hybrid vehicles in the state from 2035, which, if approved, might speed up the process of phasing out gasoline-powered cars, according to a Reuters report.

In August 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the plan and, on Monday, requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to authorise a waiver under the Clean Air Act. “These vehicles will permanently displace emissions from conventional vehicles,” stated CARB Executive Officer Steven Cliff.

The EPA has proposed that by 2032, automakers are likely to manufacture 60% electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030 and 67% by 2032. However, only 5.8% of cars sold in the US in 2022 were EVs.

According to the report, California’s zero-emission policy would reduce smog-causing pollutants from light-weight vehicles by 25% come 2037. Other US states, including New York, Washington, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Oregon, and Massachusetts, have implemented stricter EV laws than the one proposed by the Biden government.

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