California Thought It Could Ban Gas Cars

The U.S. Senate voted 51-44 to dismantle California’s authority to mandate a phase-out of gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Thanks to a waiver under the Clean Air Act, the state set its own rules—stricter than federal guidelines—effectively leading national standards by sheer market size.

California’s phased timeline would have begun by requiring 35 percent of all new car sales to be zero-emission by next year, 68 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2035. The targets were ambitious, and almost every automaker balked at the targets.

While the regulation allowed for plug-in hybrids—but not simple parallel hybrids—and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, battery electrics were always assumed to make up the majority. Several automakers, including Ford and Honda, publicly acknowledged California’s authority and aligned their planning accordingly, even while industry groups pushed back.

Supporters of the rollback argue that a single state shouldn’t set nationwide policy through market leverage, and that the mandate was too aggressive given current infrastructure and flagging consumer adoption rates. Whether this vote ultimately strips California of its long-standing authority under the Clean Air Act will likely be decided in the courts.

In the aftermath, Governor Gavin Newsom reiterated that California has a legal obligation to curb emissions under existing federal law. State officials may pivot by tightening restrictions on industrial polluters or use other regulatory levers like public transit incentives and localized penalties for gasoline vehicles.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) welcomed the Senate decision as a return to stability for its members—mostly companies invested in performance parts and tuning for combustion vehicles. It really shouldn't surprise anyone that the special interest group celebrated the reprieve given the longer-term existential risk the electrification mandate posed to its 7,000 members.

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