President Donald Trump has formally rescinded California’s landmark rule banning the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. Trump signed a measure Thursday that effectively nullifies California’s longstanding authority to set its own vehicle emissions standard, a power the Golden State has held since 1970 under the Clean Air Act. California previously lead the nation in setting strict automotive emissions standards beyond the scope of federal requirements, with several other U.S. states following California’s lead.
As reported by Bloomberg, environmental groups condemned the decision, arguing it will slow progress on climate goals and lead to higher costs for consumers. “The Trump administration’s attack on clean air and clean vehicles only benefits the fossil fuel industry, leaving Americans to foot the bill with higher fueling costs, limited vehicle choices, and more pollution,” said Sierra Club Clean Transportation for All Director, Katherine Garcia.
Meanwhile, automakers applauded to move, expressing support for dismantling a mandate deemed unrealistic and too costly. In a statement, Toyota said that a “consumer-driven market with one national emissions standard will bring more stability and healthy competition to the auto industry.”
Despite previously committing to a fully electric light-duty lineup by 2035, GM has grown more vocal in criticizing California’s mandate. In May, GM urged thousands of white-collar employees to contact U.S. lawmakers and oppose the rule, citing concerns over consumer choice and affordability.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents GM, Stellantis, Ford, Hyundai, Volkswagen, and others, echoes that stance, warning that the mandate could result in job losses and production disruption if automakers are unable to meet the aggressive ZEV quotas. At present, EVs make up just 20 to 25 percent of California’s new vehicle sales, far short of the proposed 35 percent target for 2026.
Beyond revoking California’s waiver, the Trump administration is also moving to roll back federal emissions standards set under the Biden administration, as well as the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
Comments
Heck yeah. Rare Trump W.
Don’t put the cart before the horses here. It’s an executive order and does not have the force of law. It’s not legislation. Second, this will be challenged in court. The arguement is basically local control, state sovereignty and questions of federalism and pre emption. We are a long way before T can claim victory.
The fact is this legislation proposed by President Trump was passed by Congress and signed by the President today! It’s the law…
Fortunately, for California and about 12 other states, this action does nothing to stop the California regulation to limit the selling of gas powered autos in 2035. Congress passed the bills, now laws, under the Congressional Review Act. But that only affects recent federal regulations. California’s regulation was passed under the state’s authority to set it’s own auto emission standards for clean air and CO2 reductions. As soon as Trump signed the laws (really 3 bills), California and about 12 other states sued to cancel its effect on the Clean Cars rule. That’s good for the auto companies and good for the country because, except for the US, the world is moving to EVs.
Want to be a billionaire? Find a way to get people to buy something they don’t want as is the case with most new car buyers and EVs.
No. It was an executive order. He has passed scant legislation if any. This was not part of the “Big Beautiful Bill.” It was an executive order. Facts are facts. Do the research. It will be reversed when the winds change. Notice the language in the story. “Decision”. Not legislation.
It’s not an executive order. Congress passed it and then President signed it.
This isn’t a win. It’s an attack on states rights and clean air. California didn’t pass these emissions standards for fun. It was a need to reduce the smog that plagued cities up and down the state prior to them passing. It was a public health crisis.
If you think having air quality on par with Beijing and Mumbai is a win, I hope you have a good supply of n95 masks when you celebrate.
EVs might actually sell better without the de facto mandates. They are an attractive option for many but people resent being told what kind of vehicle to drive so a pushback has developed creating a group of “EV haters” who really never hated EVs per se. Rather it was the governmental force that they actually hated.
And people resent their tax money subsidy of someone else’s choice.
If you want an EV, buy it. I don’t want one, and I don’t want to contribute to your down payment.
You don’t contribute. The person just gets a tax credit. You have to have a tax liability higher than the credit amount. If you take the credit at time of sale you still have to claim the credit. If for example you only have $100 tax liability you would have to pay back $7400.
It’s a credit on you tax liability. It’s not paid by anyone else.
You will never convince everyone with the facts. Thank you, though. It’s frustrating. It’s not about facts. It’s how people feel. I recall a MAGA supporter being asked about CRT. He said he didn’t know what it was about, but he was against it.
The first FACT you’re forgetting is the government needs money to operate, it gets the money through taxes, and a “credit” is only raising my taxes by shifting the needed income to the folks that don’t agree with your politics, ie buy electric cars. Nobody ever needed payed to upgrade to ICE when cars were new, if electric’s better it’ll take over. NO REGULATIONS, NONE AT ALL PLEASE. Not even gas guzzler tax and fuel economy requirements, people will mostly default to an economic vehicle without political interference. Talk about free trade – freedom to make, buy, and sell what we want WITHIN the country too.
Since you understand the fact government needs money to operate and you’re against the credits, will you still have the same vigor when Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill tax system will have a sizeable credit for top 10% income folks?
If someone pays less tax because of a credit where do you think the extra money comes from to pay for government services?
The tax money comes from tax payers in California and New York. California citizens pay tens of billions more in taxes than they ever get back. Perhaps the Feds should return the balance due back to California for their own EV credit.
If the government credits you $7500 it has to make it up somewhere else
@ocnblu
A NON gasoline vehicle fan can make the same argument.
They do not want gasoline vehicles and they DO NOT want to help fund your cheap gasoline prices.
Works both ways. This EV argument is so beyond idiotic. This is the future (great that you do not want one) so we need GM to be a leader and NOT lose out to China so our Automotive Industry gets wiped out.
That is Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more vital than what our own personal opinions are about ICE and EV vehicles.
For the record, California has NOT banned ICE but they want to phase out ICE only propulsion. That basically means you will need a Plug-In Hybrid at bare minimum.
That is an ICE engine for everyone keeping score at home.
Can we all please stop falling for FUD
How do ev guys help fund cheap gas prices?
Great. Ever ride behind a GM diesel bus in the 70s through the 90s? The black fumes and soot spewed through the car vents. Remeber gas cars used to “diesel” after being shut off? What happened to local control and State’s rights? It’s ok for abortion and segregated schools. But not for guns, cars or pollution regulation. Hypocrisy.
The Dems are ripe with hypocrisy. They could give a rats behind less about the environment and peoples’ health. EV mandates are another tool in their leftist, woke radical, virtue signaling toolbox. Meanwhile these leftist tools like Newsome cruise around in their private jets and Chevy Suburbans .
CHP just deployed two black Rivian R1S to drive Newsom around in.
Too bad it want an electric hearse 😂. Seriously, just more virtue signaling pandering.
Did you know that diesel engines have advanced a lot since the 70’s. It is now possible to tune a diesel cleaner then stock.
Common sense dictates that not everyone could get by with an EV, but, in all fairness to California if it wasn’t for their vision our car mileage would still be the same as most pickup trucks. My son’s 2024 Silverado HD gets under 14 miles per gallon. At least there are alternative vehicles, including EVs, that everyday folks could afford to drive relatively inexpensive.
Also, this doesn’t affect all of California but I remember in the ‘70’s driving into L.A. the smog was pretty bad and I live in Cleveland. Despite the car manufacturers b!tching about increasing production costs the California led pollution control mandates do work.
This is great news and ironically gets the California Air Resources Board (CARB) off the hook for a mandate to ban new ICE vehicles sales by the year 2035 that was not achievable anyway. The consumer should dictate what they want to purchase in the marketplace not the government.
The market should be customer-driven and not government driven. I agree with this decision especially since I live in California. Gas is scheduled to go up at least 50 cents a gallon starting in July because the gas tax has deceased significantly due to electric cars.
Now, there will be a tax on how many miles you drive every day. That will hinder those who travel vast distances to work. And next is the new “State Tax,” on our houses.
It’s getting tough to live in California and especially retire.
Interesting. I thought MAGA folks were all for states’ rights. Oh only when it works for them.
States’ rights should end at the state border. When these “rights” – in this case a small group of woke bureaucrats having the ability to dictate not only what California drives but potentially the whole county- the law is flawed. States rights only go so far. If not, we would not have the Uniform Commercial Code and each state could build its own military
States rights was installed in the begining to keep the federal government from suppressing the rights of the citizens of that state. Not so the state could suppress the rights of its citizens, wich can be a violation of the national constitution
Rumor has it that the restrictive, lawless, crime ridden life of California has caused Las Vegas to receive as many as 4000 new residents per month. Who can blame them.
IF there are more electric vehicles on the roads that DON’T have a tax on them to help pay for road maintenance like ICE vehicles pay when you buy gas, there needs to be taxes on them for the number of miles they drive that is equal to the gas tax the rest of us pay. It’s not a free ride here. No state or the Feds have brought this up yet but it must be.
Now what did the old GOP want, states rights? The new GOP they only want states rights when it helps their cause.
The GOP?? In 1970 a Democrat party majority in both houses passed the Clean Air Act establishing a comprehensive framework for regulating air quality, setting the stage for significant improvements in air quality across the nation, and authorizing the EPA to set and enforce air quality standards. California has asked for and been granted waivers to be allowed to set their own standards, but it is (and has been since 1970) the EPAs power to approve or disapprove them.
I do not think that GOP still exist anymore. It should be re-named and called SOP and or DOP for Stupid Old Party or Dumb Old Party. If a was a ttttc(trumpy-trumps-tariffs-turmoil-chaos) fan and had to travel outside the US, I would not bring and dare wear my MAGA baseball hat specially the red one, because I am sure I would receive,thrown at me, some rotten eggs and or tomatoes and if I am lucky only receive a dirty look and THIS IS WILL HAPPENED IN EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE US you visit. So stay and be confined in your brainwashed world . You, ttttc fan, became the lafting stock of the entire world to have elected such a dum A……
It’s not an executive order. Congress passed it Donald signed it! Good Bye CARB!! Newscum can sue all he wants he loves wasting taxpayer money. No more stupid train to nowhere either.
Maude Lebowski
False, but nice try though!
US Senate blocks California’s electric car mandate in historic vote
I wonder what Trump has against clean air.
That’s funny considering air quality is better than it has been for 50 years and that despite all the years of draconian emissions rules California’s air quality is worse than most other states with less stringent standards.
You obviously don’t have a clue for the cause of the poor air quality in California.
What do Canada and California have against clean air? With the fires raging and little to no steps being taken by either camp to control them with forest clean up or water supplies they are currently polluting the air more than any car ever has. This is the third Summer we are dealing with terrible air quality from Canada in the states and even have occasional air quality warning to stay inside or wear masks but you never hear about this on the fake news outlets
Donald Trump needs tinder same not only for California he needs to do the same for New Jersey and all the other states that followed this unreachable goal. Biden was driven by stupidity to enforce that law and mandate. It should have been done this way giving people more options hybrids, full electric(EV) diesel and gas.
You know, in my opinion I believe that a per-year mileage tax should be implemented by all states as almost the only fair way for all motorists to pay their fair share of maintaining road infrastructure. The mileage tax should also take into consideration the weight of the vehicle. Let’s face it, a Chevrolet Bolt weighing 3,600 lbs creates much less road deterioration than a Ford F-150 Platinum with a diesel.
In this mileage/weight scenario the losers will be the EV owners that will also be charged electrical use taxes if they charge primarily at home.
I cannot think of a more fairer way for the federal and state governments to be reimbursed for road use and maintenance.
In my particular Ohio household we have an EV and an ICE vehicle. I pay the State of Ohio $200 bucks annually for driving the EV but I won’t even hit 5,000 miles for the whole year. I am paying more than a fair share for the privilege of driving on the roads but I’m not complaining because it was solely my choice to drive an EV.
If you own a heavy ICE truck, drive a lot of miles annually then you already are probably paying your fair share for either a diesel or gas motor.
If someone has a more equitable way to pay for road use speak up.
Too bad that this will only last four years, since by 2028 the next President will toss away all.of Trump’s orders and we will be breathing clean air again.
It’s our only hope to stop this assault on democracy. Being a dictator is to be weak…being a leader is a challenge. I look forward to real leadership again.
Nice try. Air quality is not going to change or get worse because people have a choice of what to drive. But keep drinking that Dem kool-aide
I don’t think President Vance would do away with Trump’s orders.
Finally, a rare victory for common sense.
The people should decide what kind of car they drive, not moronic politicians. Mic drop.
Bottom Line: How many of these “people” running the commi-states actually own an EV to support it?? They want us to “do time” in one but yet They don’t, why?