On Wednesday, September 24, Governor Newsom issued an unprecedented Executive Order requiring the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to adopt and implement regulations to transition the state’s vehicle fleet sales to all-electric by the year 2035. The Executive Order also includes a mandate that all operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles be zero emission by 2045. The action comes in the wake of the Governor’s comments during his tours of various areas impacted by catastrophic wildfires that the state is in a “climate emergency.” However, the Executive Order does not address forest fuels or wildfire prevention nor does it ban the use of combustion fuel passenger vehicles after 2035.
Similar efforts have been attempted in recent years through legislation, most notably 2018’s Assembly Bill 1745 (Ting) which would have prohibited registration of any non-electric passenger vehicle as of January 1, 2040. However, the Legislature has recognized the affordability constraints for low-income residents, lack of costly charging infrastructure statewide and the infeasibility of using electric vehicles in many commercial applications, preferring instead to ramp up incentive programs for new electric vehicle purchases.
CARB will now need to begin a lengthy public regulatory process to develop implementing regulations and solicit public comment, which could take several years for such a complex and controversial proposal. For more information on the Governor’s Executive Order, visit his website here.