Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that new cars built in his state will have to be electric or maintain zero-emissions by 2035.
The Daily Wire reports the governor described the order as “the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change” and said he hopes the elimination of gas-powered vehicles will have beneficial effects on other walks of life.
“For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe. Californians shouldn’t have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse – and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines,” he said in a statement.
According to the report, the order was not codified by the state legislature and members on both sides of the aisle have expressed that it is too restrictive.
Democratic Assemblymember Jim Cooper applauded the decision, but said most Californians will not be able to afford the change.
“I applaud the Governors goals, but how will @AirResources develop regulations that will actually benefit the majority of Californians? Last year, @CARB said the overall mean purchase price of a CA household’s main vehicle was $14,000, which is over half of their yearly income!” he said in a pair of tweets.
Cooper continued: “The EV’s pictured in today’s signing of the EO cost more than $50k each. How will my constituents afford an EV? They can’t. They currently drive 11-year-old vehicles. This doesn’t even take into account the strain an all electric vehicle fleet will have on our state electric grid.”
The EV’s pictured in today’s signing of the EO cost more than $50k each. How will my constituents afford an EV? They can’t. They currently drive 11-year-old vehicles. This doesn’t even take into account the strain an all electric vehicle fleet will have on our state electric grid
— Jim Cooper (@AsmJimCooper) September 24, 2020
The Daily Wire adds:
According to The San Francisco Chronicle, fewer than 6% of cars sold in California in 2019 fall under the governor’s zero-emission standard.
Despite the current cost of electric vehicles, the governor’s office maintained in a statement that by 2035, “zero-emission vehicles will almost certainly be cheaper and better than the traditional fossil fuel powered cars.” The governor’s office also claimed the cost of electric vehicles and “conventional vehicles” will reach parity in several years.