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Should We Ban Gasoline-Powered Vehicles?
Liberty Surveys
March 09, 2024
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Should We Ban Gasoline-Powered Vehicles?
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Here’s the Scoop
California’s radical regulators have struck again, voting to ban the sale of all new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 in a desperate attempt to tackle the so-called climate crisis.
Gasoline-run cars, trucks, and SUVs, which they claim are major producers of carbon emissions, are now in their crosshairs.
The new rule dictates that 100% of new vehicles sold in California by 2035 must not emit greenhouse gases. The California Air Resources Board has even set an interim goal of having 35% of new cars sold produce zero emissions by 2026, and 68% by 2030.
Fear not, drivers will still be able to operate their previously owned gasoline-powered vehicles and buy used gas-powered vehicles. The state is also generously allowing for some new cars sold to be hybrid gas-electric vehicles.
In the first three months of this year, only 16% of cars sold in California were electric. Over the past 12 years, the state has provided more than $1 billion in rebates for the sale of 478,000 electric, plug-in, or hybrid vehicles.
A critical hurdle California must overcome is expanding access to electric charging stations. Despite the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year, the state will have to spend billions more to build a fully reliable charging network. Governor Gavin Newsom hopes to prioritize adding stations in low-income neighborhoods.
Newsom claims, “The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution.”
This ban comes as the reliability of electric grids is questioned amid unprecedented weather events. Yet, the precedent set by California is likely to be followed by other states, spreading this misguided policy nationwide.
What do you think? Let us know by participating in our poll.