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California’s governor announces 2035 ban on internal combustion engines

'We’re facing a climate crisis, we need bold action'


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.

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.

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.

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.

Susannah Guthrie

Susannah Guthrie has been a journalist for over a decade, covering everything from world news to fashion, entertainment, health and now cars. Having previously worked across titles like The New Daily, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, People Magazine and Cosmopolitan, Susannah now relishes testing family cars with the help of her husband and two-year-old son.

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