New cars sold in California in 2035 must be "zero emission"
- The California State Air Quality Agency has approved a rule that by 2035 only allows sales of zero-emission vehicles. California, which has always been at the forefront in the field of the environment compared to other American states, is therefore in tune with the European Union which has been proposing since last summer a similar regulation for 2035 (Norway is even going to anticipate as early as 2025).
- However, one important difference: unlike in Europe, the regulations in the USA do not concern PHEVs. The text also provides that in 2026, 33% of car sales in California must concern 100% electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV) or fuel cell (FCEV), 66% of car sales in 2030.
- This decision by California, the richest and most populous American state (about 40 million inhabitants), as well as the one that hosted the production site of the electric car carmaker Tesla, could encourage other states to move in this direction. Democratic President Joe Biden is pushing in this direction. In line with its environmental policy, it has in particular promulgated this month a vast investment plan on climate and health which provides for the whole country that 50% of new vehicles sold in 2030 must be BEV vehicles, PHEV or FCEV.
- But unlike Europe, there will be no binding regulations. Each carmaker will be free to sell thermal vehicles or not. This flexibility avoids directly threatening the Big Three (GM, Ford, Chrysler) which are lagging behind in the field of electric vehicles compared to European and Chinese carmakers. President Joe Biden has also announced funding for charging stations in 35 states. In 2021, the share of BEV+PHEV+FCEV in the US market only represented 4.3% compared to 15.6% in China and 19.2% in Europe. For BEVs alone, the share was 3.2% in the USA, compared to 10.4% in Europe and 12.8% in China.
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