Some amazing news broke on Thursday, which was lost amid all the other news streaming across the country and around the globe.
I am delighted to report that the U.S. Senate voted 51-44 to revoke California’s authority to set its own strict vehicle emission standards, specifically targeting the state’s mandate to phase out new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
This action also affects two additional waivers related to heavy-duty truck emissions. The measure, already passed by the House, now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature.
The vote is a win for General Motors (GM.N) Toyota (7203.T), and other automakers that heavily lobbied against the rules and a blow to California and environmental groups that say the requirements are essential to ensuring cleaner vehicles and cutting pollution.California first announced a plan in 2020 to require that by 2035 at least 80% of new cars sold be electric and up to 20% plug-in hybrid models.”This Senate vote is illegal,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said, adding the Senate action would cost California taxpayers an estimated $45 billion in additional health care costs. “We’re going to fight this unconstitutional attack on California in court.”Since 1970, California has received more than 100 waivers under the Clean Air Act.Senate Republicans rejected the advice of the parliamentarian in moving forward. In March, the Government Accountability Office said the waivers cannot be repealed under the Congressional Review Act, which only requires a majority of the U.S. Senate.
What a signing ceremony this will be! I certainly will be looking forward to it, as I have every intention of driving my beautiful gasoline-powered Honda for as long as it lasts…be it in California or elsewhere.
Newsom will likely be silently thanking Trump for this move, which guts one of the most destructive policies ever put forth by Sacramento. It means this is one failure of many that Newsom will not have to address during his probable presidential bid during the 2028 election season.
As a reminder of what California and the 11 states that adopted this insanity faced: California’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate, formally adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) under the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, established a timeline for phasing out the sale of new gasoline-only vehicles in favor of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
2027: The ZEV sales requirement rises to 43% of new vehicles
2030: The mandate increases to 68% ZEVs among new vehicle sales
2035: 100% of new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold must be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs or qualifying plug-in hybrids)
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles: By 2035, 40% to 75% of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks (depending on vehicle category) must be zero-emission
As I have previously reported that several states (Vermont, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia) had indefinitely delayed the implementation of their California-style rules. They heeded the warnings that the charging infrastructure was not there, and local automobile dealers would be losing business to those in neighboring states.
I have detailed the myriad reasons the mandate was doomed to failure. Some “highlights”
Automakers and car dealers have regrets:
There are specific challenges EVs face under extreme weather conditions:
There are significant supply chain issues:
There are also reports that EV drivers are experiencing “range anxiety,” and short trips have doubled or more in time due to charging times. Americans seem less trusting of “The Science” and are now climate-crisis-questioning. This may, in part, explain why I reported there was a noticeable slowdown in EV sales.
Finally, the EV mandate for trucks is ludicrous. EV trucks currently offer approximately 170 miles per charge versus diesel trucks’ 1,000–1,200-mile range. Long-haul routes are particularly problematic, as frequent charging stops disrupt delivery schedules and increase downtime. Compounding this, battery weight reduces payload capacity (EV trucks must carry lighter loads to comply with federal weight limits, potentially requiring more trucks to move the same volume of goods).
Apparently, California is planning to challenge the use of the Congressional Review Act to end the state’s ridiculous waiver.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta says this use of the CRA is unlawful, and that California will challenge it in court. “The weaponization of the Congressional Review Act to attack California’s waivers is just another part of the continuous, partisan campaign against California’s efforts to protect the public and the planet from harmful pollution,” Bonta wrote in a statement.
Hopefully, the courts will put a stake in the heart of this climate cult insanity. Then, perhaps, the President and Congress can work to find ways to ensure that no state bureaucrats ever have the power to thrust bad science and climate cultism on the American people again.
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