California drivers will be taking their foot off the gas, and Washington may not be far behind.
California last week approved new regulations that will end the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee immediately signaled his intention to join in California’s standards. In a tweet the same day, he said Washington would adopt California’s regulations by the end of the year.
It’s a lot to take in. What’s changing? What are these new regulations? Why should anyone care about California? Here’s a look the changes and how they might play out in Washington.
What changed last week?
In 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order phasing out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) codified that goal when it approved its new goals last week.
If Washington adopts CARB’s rules, there will be mandates that a certain amount of new vehicles be zero-emission.
Specifically, new passenger cars, trucks, vans and SUVs will be electric, hydrogen-fuel cell or plug-in hybrid vehicles. In California, 35% of new vehicle sales will meet that standard by 2026 and that threshold will increase by 6% to 9% each year. So 68% of new vehicles will be zero-emission or plug-in hybrid by 2030, 88% by 2033 and 100% by 2035.
Many states, including Washington, base their standards on California’s, which are usually more strict than federal standards. That’s why the new regulations are sending ripples across the country.
How is that different than what was in place earlier?
Washington was already on the road to zero-emission vehicles. The Legislature set a goal to make all new vehicle sales electric by 2030 in March, but that is only a goal, not a law or a mandate. Manufacturers, dealerships and buyers will be incentivized to go electric, but there were no hard and fast requirements by 2030.
While Washington will still work to meet its 2030 goal, officials have called it their “ceiling,” with 2035 as the latest date for the state’s transition away from gas-powered vehicles.
Policy for the 2030 goal and the 2035 regulation would likely complement each other in Washington.
Why are we following California?
Right? Why does one board in California affect vehicle sales for the entire state of Washington?
California has stricter vehicle emissions standards than the rest of the country, an effort which dates back to Los Angeles’s legendarily ugly air pollution in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.
California was the first to implement catalytic converters, for example. While cities like Los Angeles still don’t have the most beautiful air, air quality has improved greatly in the last 60 years.
According to the Guardian, 17 other states choose to follow some or part California’s rules rather than the federal ones. Washington is one of those states.
In 2020, Washington passed Senate Bill 5811, which directed the Washington State Department of Ecology to “adopt rules to implement the motor vehicle emission standards of the state of California,” and “amend the rules from time to time, to maintain consistency with the California motor vehicle emission standards.”
Will all new cars have to be electric? What about hybrid vehicles?
State Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, said more attention should be given to plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Washington’s 2030 goal focused on electric vehicles.
“I do not support bans like this one — we do not know if the benefits will be greater than the expense,” King said in a news release, pointing out there is still a lot to learn about the long-term environmental consequences of electric vehicles.
“I do support incentivizing hybrid vehicles, along with funding research of emerging technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cell energy,” he added.
CARB’s 2035 mandate creates paths for hydrogen-powered vehicles and plug-in hybrids. According to the regulations, 20% of new vehicles sold can be plug-in hybrids in 2035, as long as they have an all-electric range of 50 miles, said Mike Faulk, deputy communications director for Gov. Inslee.
In addition, hydrogen fuel-cell cars, which use hydrogen to create electricity, would be available for sale. Hydrogen-fuel cells generally re-fuel faster than electric vehicles, but are less popular.
Does this change anything for my current gas-powered vehicle?
No. Before and after 2035, you can still drive a gas-powered car. After 2035, you can still buy a used gas-powered car.
The CARB regulations are specific. They apply to new vehicles for each model year. For example, if 35% of new vehicles in 2026 must be zero-emission or plug-in hybrid, that means 35% of vehicles made in 2026.
What’s next?
Washington doesn’t immediately use California’s new regulations. The Department of Ecology will start its own rulemaking process which will include opportunities for community feedback.
There likely will be opportunities for public comment in the fall before rules are finalized for Washington.
Jasper Kenzo Sundeen’s reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the . For information on republishing, email news
