While an executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020 called for the transition, on Thursday the California Air Resources Board passed the Advanced Clean Cars II rule to electrify the state’s transportation sector. The rule will transition California to 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.
According to the Sierra Club, “millions of Californians live in communities with unhealthy air that does not meet federal air quality standards,” therefore this rule will “help to improve air quality and address the climate crisis.”
“The Advanced Clean Cars II rule is a major step towards breathable air in California communities and will be critical for the state to meet its climate goals and federal air quality standards,” Daniel Barad, senior policy advocate at Sierra Club California, said.
The Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule will “rapidly scale down light-duty passenger car, truck and SUV emissions starting with the 2026 model year through 2035,” according to a press release from the State of California. The rule will also amend the low-emission vehicle regulations with more intense standards for gasoline cars and heavier passenger trucks in order to reduce smog-forming emissions as the transportation sector transitions toward 100 percent zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) by 2035.
“California Air Resources Board still has much work to do to ensure that this rule benefits frontline communities who need emission reductions the most,” Barad said. “Sierra Club California will be working closely with our environmental justice partners to advance a just and equitable transition to zero-emission transportation.”
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