The EPA recently announced that they would be approving two waivers under the Clean Air Act that has officially grants California permission to ban new gas car sales in the state by 2035. This would impact the sale of gas car in other states. And as I have been saying, no brand will build a car for some states, which means everyone brand will be forced to comply and they are not happy about this as they lose money on every EV they sell. This is the destruction of the car industry by its own government. 

The industry pushing back, “NADA (National Dealer Association) is disappointed the Biden administration has granted CARB’s vehicle-emissions waiver allowing it to institute a ban on gas-powered vehicles beginning in 2026. NADA has long supported a single, national fuel economy standard that is technologically feasible, economically practicable, and does not restrict consumer choice. We urge the incoming Trump administration to revoke this anti-consumer mandate.” 

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President and CEO Chet Thompson issued the following statement “Contrary to claims on the campaign trail that they would never tell Americans what kinds of cars we have to drive, the Biden-Harris EPA just did exactly that by green lighting California’s ban on sales of all new gas and traditional hybrid vehicles. EPA’s authorization of the California ban and California’s ban itself are unlawful. These policies will harm consumers—millions of whom don’t even live in California—by taking away their ability to buy new gas cars in their home states and raising vehicle and transportation costs. They will also undermine U.S. energy and national security. Americans want nothing to do with gas car bans, EV mandates or California radicalism, which they just made abundantly clear at the polls. I suspect this is why EPA waited until after the election to issue this decision.”  

This means No gas, diesel or traditional hybrid passenger cars and trucks meet California’s definition of “zero emission.” And only a small percentage (a maximum of 20%) of plug-in hybrid cars and trucks will be able to be sold.    

Timing is everything in politics and the news of EPA’s imminent decision on the California waiver broke just hours after the Supreme Court of the United States granted a case that would hear from a coalition of energy, agriculture and biofuel groups, to argue their standing to challenge California’s EV sales mandate. This would be a threat to this ban. So the EPA went ahead an countered any decisions by banned all gas cars. This is pure evil and against what consumer can afford or want.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) Advanced Clean Cars II waiver has set a zero-emission vehicle mandate starting in 2025 that requires 35% of all new model year 2026 vehicle sales be zero-emission vehicles, with a majority of those being battery-electric. That percentage will continue increasing, and by 2035 100% of new passenger cars, trucks and SUVs sold in California and 17 other states, must be zero-emissions. 

These states adopted California’s rules and most of these states are not selling anywhere near the 35% level required next year. In fact, nationally, the US is tracking at approximately 9% BEV sales, November YTD. Within the 12 “ZEV states” (plus DC), the average is less than 13% YTD.Approving the California waiver will distort the auto industry as companies funnel zero-emission vehicles to the states that have adopted California’s rules, severely limiting vehicles that consumers choices in what they want to drive.

Toyota stated that “… By requiring one out of three sales be zero-emission vehicles, California’s regulation undercuts the sale of other alternative electrified powertrains that can also help reduce carbon emissions as much as and as quickly as possible. In addition, to achieve the California mandate, it would require dealers selling over three times as many ZEVs as they currently do. If a customer cannot afford a zero-emission vehicle or it doesn’t meet their needs, there may not be a non-electric vehicle on the lot to purchase for their mobility needs. Instead of adjusting to that reality, California is doubling down and pulling 11 other states and their residents with them.” 

This is infuriating to Americans to hear that the government continues to change the rules and green light a gas car ban which defies the will of millions of Americans. The EPA is doing all they can to fight back against the incoming Trump team before he even gets into office. This is one of many tactics that has been planned to change the will of the people and what they want to drive and can afford. Until this is overturned or changed, drivers will keep what they are driving and hurt the auto industry.

However, the waivers could soon be revoked by President-elect Donald Trump, who is reportedly planning to rescind both federal EV requirements and any waiver issued for California by the Biden administration.

Consumers are fighting back. They do not want to be told what to drive. Let us make the choice not the government. 

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