As the world has started witnessing the devastating effects of carbon-emitting inventions, the urgency of the climate crisis is becoming evident. This realization is driving a global shift towards sustainable living: 69% of Americans supported the U.S. taking steps to eliminate carbon by 2050. One of these steps includes California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, a set of regulations to reduce automobile emissions and promote the use of EVs and PHEVs, which several other states have joined. The goal is to gradually ban gas-fueled vehicles by 2035. Has there been any effort to meet the goal? Let’s find out.
California
“Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse and create more smoke-filled days. Vehicles shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels,” said Newsom, California’s Governor. He announced that California is set to phase out gas-fueled vehicles by 2035 in its effort to fight climate change.
The California Air Resources Board approved that all cars will be generating zero emissions by 2035. The Advanced Clean Cars II regulations have an ambitious goal of requiring auto manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles over time, with 35% of new car sales to be emission-free by 2026. As this number is set to grow to 68% by 2030 and progress to 100% by 2035, the impact of this movement is sure to be profound, offering a glimmer of hope in the fight against climate change.
Rhode Island
Despite being the smallest state, Rhode Island’s approach to tackling the climate crisis is anything but small. It was one of the first states to recognize the need for Section 177 of the Clean Air Act and began its journey towards a greener future in May 2023. The state’s proactive approach offers hope for a sustainable future.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts approved a law that made it compulsory to adopt any new emission policy issued by California, being one of the first few states to follow the Golden State’s footsteps. Since August 2022, it has been setting demanding standards to promote eco-friendly transportation. Like other states following Clean Cars II Regulations, it is set to completely ban the sale of gas-fueled vehicles by 2035.
Maryland
It’s no secret that carbon emissions have considerably increased the number of respiratory diseases in society. For the Governor of Maryland, health was the basic reason for joining California’s initiative. Hence, it became the first of the states to follow Clean Cars II Regulations. In March 2023, Gov. Wes Moore announced that carbon-emitting vehicles would be banned by 2035.
Delaware
Even before California’s regulation, Delaware implemented a Low Emission Vehicle Program to make the environment cleaner. They had to add the requirements for no-emission vehicles starting from the model year 2026 to keep the policy in line with the ACC-II. The Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control of Delaware’s Secretary, Shawn Garvin, approved implementing California’s regulation following a public hearing in April 2023.
New Jersey
New Jersey has the largest number of registered electric vehicles, so it has already taken steps toward a more eco-friendly environment. It is the sixth state to adopt Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, and Gov. Phil Murphy issued executive orders in March 2023. New Jersey also looks forward to completely banning ICE vehicles in the next 11 years.
New York
New Jersey’s neighbor, New York, was the first to take the initiative against the sale of gas-fueled vehicles. Gov. Kathy Hochul started working for the approval of legislation in September 2022. The law was passed in the summer of 2023, and the officials were done drafting the regulations regarding the elimination of gas-fueled SUVs, passenger cars, and pickup trucks by 2035.
Washington
Washington followed Massachusetts’ strategy and also passed the law, making it obligatory to adopt any emission policy issued by California. The state has a history of implementing proactive environmental policies and is even now keen to promote the sales of more environmentally friendly vehicles. Washington citizens have also always been inclined to participate in environmental activism.
Vermont
Thanks to Vermont’s lawmakers, the state is set to ban gas-fueled vehicles in upcoming years. It is one of a few states that have adopted both the ACC-II and the Advanced Clean Trucks regulations. In fact, it went a step ahead, as the complete ban is supposed to take place by 2030 rather than 2035. The rulemaking passed out in November 2022, ensuring a healthier and emission-free future ahead.
Oregon
Just a month after Vermont’s law passed, Oregon’s Environment Quality Commission also voted to phase out ICE sales completely by 2035. Oregon is the fifth state to approve and implement California’s Advanced Clean Car II regulations. However, this was unsurprising since Oregon has always been a very environmentally aware state with clear goals toward an eco-friendly future.
States that Partially Adopted or Repealed the Law
While the states we discussed above welcomed ACC-II with open arms, some states rejected the idea, while others couldn’t keep up with all regulations for a long time and stepped back.
New Mexico
New Mexico is one of the states that partially adopted the law, as it chose to adopt only California’s sales percentage model through 2032. This rule makes the state responsible for taking steps to increase the sales of eco-friendly vehicles by 82% by 2032.
Maine
Even though Maine was one of the few states to receive a civilian petition demanding to enact the ACC-II, the authorities kept playing delaying tactics after the public hearing in August 2022. However, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection turned down the petition by their votes in March 2024.
Colorado
In 2023, Colorado only patrially adopted ACC-II, however it was the first state to adopt the Act in the Mountain West. The state aims to increase EV sales to 82% of total car sales by 2032.
Minnesota
Minnesota’s Clean Car Rule 2021 is similar to the ACC-II; however, it doesn’t implement a ban on ICEs. According to Gov. Tim Waltz, the goal is to have 20% of vehicles be EVs by 2030, compared to 1% now.
Connecticut
Connecticut was once on the list of states adopting Section 177 of the Clean Air Act. However, the state withdrew this regulation in late 2023 and decided to develop another legislation to serve the same purpose. No new policy or law has been issued so far.
What Does The Future Hold?
A complete ban might seem like a stringent action. However, there is enough time to form policies to promote alternate ways. At the end of the day, no matter how complex the process is, the planet will thank you for taking this much-needed action, and so will your lungs.
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Zainab Noor is a motoring journalist. Childhood rides in Nissan Almera fueled her love for cars. After graduating from AIOU in 2021, she steered her passion into freelance writing. You can find Zainab on LinkedIn.
