Automotive
In a high-stakes move that would ripple across the auto industry and environmental policy for years to come back, the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to dam California’s landmark plan to ban the sale of recent gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The choice, widely supported by Republicans and now headed to the desk of President Trump for his signature, marks a major reversal of what had been probably the most aggressive state-led push toward electric vehicle adoption.
California’s rule, which was first announced in 2020 by Governor Gavin Newsom, aimed to phase out latest gas-powered cars over the following decade in favor of electrical and plug-in hybrid models, a daring step within the fight to chop emissions from the transportation sector. The state had received a waiver from the EPA in December, through the final weeks of President Biden’s term, to implement stricter vehicle emissions regulations than those set on the federal level. That waiver now faces a legal and political crossfire.
The Senate vote, coming after Republicans established a brand new procedural workaround to bypass the standard filibuster, has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and environmental advocates. Many see the vote not only as a blow to climate efforts, but in addition as an unprecedented intrusion into states’ rights to control their very own environmental policies. California controls roughly 11% of the U.S. automotive market, and its standards often shape national trends, with a couple of dozen other states typically following its lead.
Senator Adam Schiff of California didn’t hold back in his response, saying the vote should “send a chill down the spine of legislators in every state,” and warning that the Senate’s actions could undermine a state’s fundamental right to set policies that protect its residents.
Supporters of the measure to dam the gas automotive ban argue it’s about preserving consumer alternative and protecting the auto industry from what they view as unrealistic mandates. Senate Majority Leader John Thune voiced concerns that California’s rules were becoming a de facto national policy, especially as other states mirrored the ban. He also pointed to issues with grid capability and value burdens on each manufacturers and drivers, calling the mandates “unsustainable.”
Notably, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was the one Democrat to back the measure. Representing a state deeply tied to the auto industry, Slotkin said her vote reflected the necessity to support over one million auto staff whose livelihoods might be disrupted by a forced and accelerated EV transition.
Automakers have expressed mixed feelings. While most major manufacturers are investing heavily in electrification, some query whether EV adoption can scale on the pace regulators demand. John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, echoed this sentiment, saying, “The very fact is these EV sales mandates were never achievable.” He emphasized the disconnect between consumer demand and the speed of regulatory change.
At the guts of this clash is a broader political shift. The brand new Republican-controlled Senate has begun to unravel many climate-related policies enacted under the previous administration. Thursday’s vote was a part of a trio of rollbacks, including measures to dam latest EPA rules on medium and heavy-duty truck emissions and restrictions on nitrogen oxide pollution. All three passed the House earlier this month and now await final approval from the White House.
California’s government has indicated it’s going to not go down with out a fight. Officials, including Governor Newsom, have vowed to challenge the Senate’s move in court, arguing that the state has long had the authority, via Clean Air Act waivers, to implement its own emissions standards. The Biden-era EPA had backed California, stating opponents failed to fulfill the legal threshold to overturn the waiver.
With legal battles looming and deep divisions in Congress, what happens next could determine how aggressively the U.S. shifts toward electric vehicles. Greater than only a policy dispute, this can be a flashpoint in the continued tug-of-war between state and federal authority, environmental urgency, and the economic realities of a rapidly evolving auto industry.
FOLLOW US TODAY:
This Article First Appeared At www.automotiveaddicts.com
