U.S. Senate Votes to Block California’s Electric Vehicle Mandates
The U.S. Senate has voted to bar California’s plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, a move that has been adopted by 11 other states representing a third of the U.S. auto market. The vote sends the measure to President Joe Biden to repeal a waiver granted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under his administration in December, allowing California to mandate at least 80% of vehicles be electric by 2035.
The decision is seen as a win for automakers such as General Motors and Toyota, who heavily lobbied against the rules. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom has vowed to fight the move in court, calling it an “unconstitutional attack” on the state. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing major automakers, praised the vote, stating that the EV sales mandates were “never achievable.”
Environmental groups have denounced the vote, with Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen saying, “While our Republican leaders may try to put the horse back in the barn when it comes to electric vehicles, the world has already shifted under their feet.” The move is expected to have significant implications for the U.S. auto industry and its transition to electric vehicles.
The Senate also voted to rescind the EPA’s approval of California’s plans to require a rising number of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks. A separate bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would end a $7,500 tax credit for new EVs and impose a new $250 annual fee on EVs for road repair costs.
California first announced its plan in 2020 to require that by 2035 at least 80% of new cars sold be electric and up to 20% plug-in hybrid models. The state’s rules require 35% of light-duty vehicles in the 2026 model year to be zero-emission models, a target that automakers say is impossible to meet given current EV sales.
