California air regulators voted Thursday to ban the sale of new gasoline cars by 2035 and set interim targets to phase the cars out. The measure is a historic one in the United States and would be one of the first such bans worldwide.
It has major implications for the U.S. car market, given the large size of California’s economy and that several states are expected to implement similar rules.
The board’s new rules would also set interim quotas for zero-emission vehicles, focusing on new models.
Starting with 2026 models, 35 percent of new vehicles sold in California would be required to be zero-emission vehicles. That quota would gradually increase each year until it reaches 100 percent by 2035.
The rules would not impact used vehicles, allowing them to stay on the roads.
The rules won’t be immediate, and are set to begin going into effect in 2026.
