The governor of California has announced the state will ban the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles from 2035, mandating that all new cars sold from that point will be emissions-free.
On September 23, Gavin Newsom, the state's 40th governor, signed an executive order decreeing that all sales of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles will be banned by 2035.
Governor Newsom also held a press conference in front of a line-up of electric vehicles from multiple manufacturers, include Audi and Tesla, before proceeding to sign the order on the bonnet of an electric Ford Mustang Mach-E.
ON THE HOOD OF A FORD MUSTANG... Governor Newsom signs executive order stopping the sale of new gas powered cars by 2035 in California pic.twitter.com/zecNpGD19h
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) September 23, 2020
Detailing the plan on Twitter, Governor Newsom said "bold action" was required in order to thwart a "climate crisis", with the state to commence "phasing out the internal combustion engine".
According to Newsom, transport is responsible for 50 per cent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions, 80 per cent of its smog-forming pollution and 95 per cent of its toxic diesel emissions.
NEW: We’re facing a climate crisis.
We need bold action.CA is phasing out the internal combustion engine.⁰By 2035 every new car sold in CA will be an emission free vehicle.Cars shouldn’t give our kids asthma.Make wildfires worse.⁰Melt glaciers.Or raise sea levels.— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 23, 2020
Governor Newsom, who has been in office since 2019, said California would be "leading the nation" by joining 15 other countries that have committed to removing gasoline-powered cars from roads.
"We will use our market power to push zero-emission vehicle innovation and drive down costs for everyone," Governor Newsom added.
California, which has a population of almost 40 million people, already accounts for a large proportion of new electric vehicles sold in the United States, with Governor Newsom estimating there are around 726,000 electric cars on California's roads.
Parts of California are currently enduring out-of-control wildfires, which have burned 3.6 million acres of land and claimed 26 lives since the start of 2020.
"Cars shouldn’t give our kids asthma. Make wildfires worse. Melt glaciers. Or raise sea levels," Newsom tweeted.
Other governments that have recently made a commitment to the promotion of emissions free vehicles include the United Kingdom, which recently brought forward its planned ban on ICE cars from 2035 to 2030, and China, which is mulling stricter targets for electric car sales by 2035.
Recent transport emissions announcements:
⭐ UK bringing forward ICE ban to 2030⭐ China investigating 50% NEV / 50% HEV by 2035⭐ EU tightening CO2 standards⭐ California banning ICE sales by 2035— Behyad Jafari ⚡? (@BJafari) September 23, 2020
Locally, the Australian government recently put $74.5 million towards the take-up of emissions-free vehicles across Australian businesses and communities.
Part of the Future Fuels Fund, the government grants will aid businesses in implementing fast-charging infrastructure or adding electric cars to their commercial fleets.
MORE: Electric car news
