What does California’s ICE ban mean for the US?

California is accelerating the US’ fight against climate change as it pushes ahead with plans to phase out internal combustion engines (ICEs) with the Advanced Clean Cars II rule. While other markets around the world have also set targets to phase out the sale of ICE vehicles, California’s move marks a first for the US. Transportation represents the single largest source of global warming emissions and air pollution in the state.

Back in September 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to end the sale of new diesel or gasoline cars in the state by 2035. Now, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has voted to finalise that rule and put the state on a path to zero emissions. The new regulation sets out a roadmap with various milestones. By 2026, 35% of all new cars by an automaker would need to be either zero-emission or plug-in hybrid vehicles. That increases to 68% in 2030 and 100% by 2035. So far in 2022, zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) have made up about 15% of new cars sold in the state.