California Asks EPA To Approve 2035 Internal Combustion Ban

In Europe, a 2035 zero emissions mandate was passed earlier this year as that region looks to phase out the sale of new ICE-powered vehicles, a move that’s been supported by the UK, Ford, and various other entities thus far. In the U.S., however, there is no organized effort to do the same, though some states – chiefly, California – have long been pushing for an ICE ban. After the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reinstated California’s right to set its own emissions standards, the state moved quickly to enact such a ban, though plug-in hybrids will still be sold after it takes effect. Now, America’s largest automotive market – which is also an important one for Ford – is seeking EPA approval on that same proposal, according to Reuters.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) sent a letter to the EPA asking it to approve a waiver under the Clean Air Act that would allow the state to ban the sale of new ICE-only vehicles by 2035, with annually rising ZEV rules starting in 2026. “These vehicles will permanently displace emissions from conventional vehicles,” wrote CARB Executive Officer Steven Cliff, who noted that internal combustion-powered vehicles are the state’s largest source of emissions.

“As with all waiver requests from California, we’ll follow an open public process in considering it, as the agency routinely does,” said EPA spokesperson Tim Carroll in response to the letter.

This waiver is necessary for California to enact its own timeline, as an EPA proposal revealed in April seeks to slash vehicle emissions by forecasting a 60 percent EV sales mix by 2030 and 67 percent by 2032. Meanwhile, CARB’s rules mandate that 35 percent of new vehicles sold in the state must be plug-in hybrid, EVs, or hydrogen fuel cell-powered by 2026, with those numbers increasing to 68 percent in 2030 and 100 percent by 2035.

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