Senate Moves to Block California’s 2035 Gas Car Ban Sparking National Debate: Automotive Addicts
Automotive
In a high-stakes move that could ripple across the auto industry and environmental policy for years to come, the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to block California’s landmark plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The decision, widely supported by Republicans and now headed to the desk of President Trump for his signature, marks a significant reversal of what had been the most aggressive state-led push toward electric vehicle adoption.
California’s rule, which was first announced in 2020 by Governor Gavin Newsom, aimed to phase out new gas-powered cars over the next decade in favor of electric and plug-in hybrid models, a bold step in the fight to cut emissions from the transportation sector. In December, in the last weeks of President Biden’s term, the state received a waiver by the EPA to enforce stricter vehicle emission regulations than those at the federal level. That waiver now faces a legal and political crossfire.
The Senate vote, coming after Republicans established a new procedural workaround to bypass the usual filibuster, has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and environmental advocates. California controls about 11% of the U.S. car market, and its standards often influence national trends. About a dozen other states usually follow it. California controls roughly 11% of the U.S. car market, and its standards often shape national trends, with about a dozen other states typically following its lead.
Senator Adam Schiff of California didn’t hold back in his response, saying the vote should “send a chill down the spine of legislators in every state,” and warning that the Senate’s actions could undermine a state’s fundamental right to set policies that protect its citizens.
Supporters of the measure to block the gas car ban argue it’s about preserving consumer choice and protecting the auto industry from what they view as unrealistic mandates. John Thune, Senate Majority leader, expressed concern that California’s rules are becoming de facto national policies as other states mirror the ban. He also pointed to issues with grid capacity and cost burdens on both manufacturers and drivers, calling the mandates “unsustainable.”
Notably, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was the only Democrat to back the measure. Representing a state deeply tied to the auto industry, Slotkin said her vote reflected the need to support over a million auto workers whose livelihoods could be disrupted by a forced and accelerated EV transition.
Automakers have expressed mixed feelings. Some question whether EV adoption will be able to scale up at the rate regulators require. John Bozzella of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation echoed the sentiment and said, “These EV sales mandates weren’t achievable.” Bozzella emphasized the disconnect between the consumer demand for EVs and the pace of regulatory change. The new Republican-controlled Senate has begun to unravel many climate-related policies enacted under the previous administration. The vote on Thursday was one of three rollbacks that included measures to block the new EPA regulations on heavy-duty truck emission and nitrogen oxide pollution. All three passed the House earlier this month and now await final approval from the White House.
California’s government has indicated it will not go down without a fight. California officials, including Governor Newsom have pledged to fight the Senate’s decision in court. They claim that the state had long been able to implement its emissions standards via Clean Air Act waivers. With legal battles looming, and deep divisions within Congress, what happens now could determine the speed at which the U.S. moves toward electric vehicles. This is more than a policy dispute. It’s a flashpoint of the ongoing tug-of war between state and federal authorities, environmental urgency and the economic reality of a rapidly changing auto industry.
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