Reports of California looking to ban the sale of gas-powered cars started in 2019, but in 2020, the state officially announced that it would be banning the sale of gasoline cars by 2035. At the time, it was an executive order from Governor Gavin Newsom. Earlier this week, California took the next step to make the ban a reality when the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted to only allow the sale of new vehicles in the state if they have zero tailpipe emissions. The ban will start in 2035.
Is California Really Banning Gas Cars?
Yes. With CARB approving the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, it officially sets the wheels in motion for California to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles. The rule establishes a roadmap that outlines any year-by-year changes, so automakers have plenty of time to get things on track before the ban kicks off in 2035.
The regulation requires that automakers increase the number of zero-emissions light-duty vehicles they sell annually beginning for the 2026 model year. For the 2026 model year, automakers will be required to have ZEVs plug-in hybrids account for 35% of their new vehicle sales. In 2030, that figure has to grow to 68% before it reaches 100% by 2035.
The ban only covers new vehicle sales.
When Will The CA Gas Car Ban Take Effect?
The ban on gas-powered car sales officially goes into effect in 2035. Before then, consumers will see quite a few changes to the vehicles that they can find at dealers across the state. With the new regulation requiring automakers to accelerate their ZEV sales starting from 2026 to 2035, consumers are likely to see more ZEV at dealerships starting in 2026.
It’s important to note that the ban only applies to the sale of new cars in California. We also believe that California residents will be able to get around the ban, if they choose to do so, by purchasing a gas-powered car in a different state and registering it with the California DMV.
The reasoning behind the ban is to reduce California’s pollution that’s caused by smog from light-duty vehicles. By 2030, CARB believes that 2.9 million fewer new gas-powered cars will be sold in the state and by 2037, it estimates that there will be a 25% reduction in smog-causing pollution from light-duty vehicles.
What Cars Are California Banning?
California is banning the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles in the state. That covers all gas-powered cars, as the only vehicles that will be available at dealerships new by 2035 will be all-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Used cars are not affected by the ban, so consumers will still be able to purchase a used vehicle that runs on gasoline. Additionally, the new regulation also has some language that puts some requirements into place for consumers looking to purchase an electric vehicle on the used market. By model year 2030, CARB requires that vehicles must maintain at least 80% of their all-electric range for 10 years or 150,000 miles.
With battery-powered vehicles being more expensive than gas-powered ones, California Governor Newsom has proposed legislation to provide consumers with extra funds to switch to an electrified vehicle. There’s Clean Cars 4 All, the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, and the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program.
Since plug-in hybrid vehicles have gas-powered engines underneath the hood that provide the primary source of power, some may believe that PHEVs may be banned. That won’t be the case. PHEVs will still be sold new in California as long as they have an all-electric range of at least 50 miles in “real-world driving conditions.” Additionally, PHEVs can't account for more than 20% of an automaker's overall ZEV requirement.
Similar rules apply to EVs and fuel-cell vehicles, though they’ll need to have a minimum range of at least 150 miles. At the time of writing, there are only a few PHEVs that meet the 50-mile requirement. Options include the Polestar 1 and Karma GS-6.