New cars sold in California will have to be polluting "zero emissions", from 2035 at the latest, according to a text adopted Thursday, August 25 in this state at the forefront of efforts for an energy transition in the country.

"Rapidly accelerating the number of zero-emission vehicles on our roads and highways will dramatically reduce emissions and pollution for all Californians," Liane Randolph, president of the California Office of Quality, said in a statement. 'air (California Air Resources Board, CARB), which approved the measure.

The text, which will effectively ban the sale of new diesel or gasoline cars from 2035, formalizes the objectives set in September 2020 by the Democratic governor of the state, Gavin Newsom.

From 2026, one third of car sales in California will have to be "zero emission" vehicles, in other words only vehicles running on electricity, hydrogen and certain hybrid vehicles, and it will have to be two thirds of sales by 2030.

"Ambitious" but "achievable"

“The timeline is ambitious but achievable: When a child born this year is of college age, only zero-emission vehicles and a limited number of plug-in hybrids will be available for sale for new cars in California” , CARB noted.

California with its more than 40 million consumers is the largest market in the United States and its standards impact manufacturing across the country.

General Motors had already announced in January 2021 its intention to no longer build cars with polluting emissions by 2035, even if the group has not openly committed to offering only electric vehicles in 13 years.

The move in California comes as President Joe Biden signed into law a sweeping climate and health investment plan last week, which includes a $370 billion package to cut greenhouse gas emissions. emissions by 40% by 2030. In recent years, many countries have tried to limit pollution from the automotive sector.

The United Kingdom, Singapore and Israel have committed to ending sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, and Norway has made this commitment for 2025.

With AFP

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