Following California’s lead, New York has plans to phase out the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
Key Details
- On Thursday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the state will require all new vehicles sold after 2035 to emit zero emissions.
- Hochul had announced this deadline in 2021, but due to federal regulations New York had to wait for California to make its own law.
- In addition to the ban on sales of gas cars, Hochul announced an expansion of New York’s EV rebate program—adding $10 million.
- New York will also be receiving a total of $175 million in federal funding to expand its existing charging station network.
Why it’s news
New York’s official announcement to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles comes soon after California’s announcement to do the same.
Hochul had announced this plan in 2021, but the Clean Air Act only authorizes California to establish its own emissions standards for vehicles. Other states can copy exactly what California does, but cannot create their own emissions standards.
New York and California combined account for 18% of the 103.8 million passenger vehicles in the U.S.
Fifteen more states are expected to follow California’s lead.
Currently, New York offers a rebate program for EVs. Buyers can receive up to $2,000 in rebates when purchasing an EV. So far the state has issued 78,000 rebates. The influx of $10 million Hochul announced will allow the program to continue.
The additional funding for charging stations is significant as critics of EVs often cite the relatively low number of charging stations.
Combined with current emissions goals from several states, incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act push more states toward increasing EV production.
