New York Follows California's Lead on All-Electric Car Sales by 2035

JAKARTA - The state of New York plans to participate in adopting the rules for the use of electric cars from the state of California which were approved in August. The rules would require that all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 be electric hybrids or plug-in electrics. This was confirmed by the Governor of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday, September 29.

Hochul said in a statement that he had directed the state's environmental agency to propose and finalize a rule adopting a California plan establishing an annual zero-emissions vehicle rule that increases from 2026 that eliminates sales of new gasoline-engined cars by 2035.

The agency will hold public hearings before the rules are finalized.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted its rules after California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in 2020 directing the move. CARB said the rules would reduce smog-causing pollution from light vehicles by 25% by 2037 and result in 9.5 million fewer conventional vehicles sold by 2035.

Automakers must sell 68% of total sales by 2030 as EVs or plug-ins and by 2035 could sell no more than 20% of models as plug-in hybrids.

"With continued state and federal investment, our actions incentivize New Yorkers, local governments, and businesses to make the transition to electric vehicles," Hochul said.

California needs a waiver from the US Environmental Protection Agency to adopt the 2035 rule.

US President Joe Biden has also called for 50% of all new vehicle sales by 2030 to be EVs or plug-in hybrids but did not support a discontinuation date for conventional car sales.

Several states that previously adopted California's zero-emissions vehicle rules have yet to sign off on a more stringent 2035 scheduled removal date.

"Colorado is definitely not California and Colorado has plans of our own," a spokeswoman for Colorado's environmental agency told Reuters.

CARB chairman Liane Randolph told Reuters this month that some states are ready now to adopt the 2035 rule while others will become more comfortable as models continue to roll out.