Photo: GM
This past weekend, General Motors agreed to recognize California’s authority with regards to setting its own vehicle emissions standards under the Clean Air Act. This decision will automatically make the carmaker eligible for government fleet purchases by the state of California.
GM made this commitment in a letter sent to California Governor Gavin Newsom, stating that it is “committed to complying with California’s regulations,” reports Reuters.
Back in 2020, not long after Joe Biden was elected president, GM decided to no longer oppose California from setting its own emissions rules, which was something the Trump administration had been fighting against.
“GM is joining California in our fight for clean air and emission reduction as part of the company’s pursuit of a zero-emissions future,” said Newsom. “This agreement will help accelerate California’s nation-leading commitment to tackling the climate crisis.”
In 2019, California said that it would halt all purchases of new vehicles for state government fleets from not just GM, but also Toyota and any other carmakers backing former president Donald Trump with regards to this environmental issue. All this took place after the state purchased $58.6 million worth of GM vehicles between 2016 and 2018.
In April of last year, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) said that it would restore legal authority to California to set tougher vehicle emission standards and zero-emission vehicle mandates, which didn’t go over too well with various Republican party members.
As far as long-term plans are concerned, California will ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles starting in 2035, although the Biden administration would prefer it if 50% of all new vehicles sold by 2030 would be either fully electric or plug-in hybrids.
Ultimately, the United States can focus on shifting to battery electric vehicles sooner, after the EPA finalized new emissions requirements through 2026 that basically reversed what the Trump administration had been trying to accomplish.
Back in 2020, not long after Joe Biden was elected president, GM decided to no longer oppose California from setting its own emissions rules, which was something the Trump administration had been fighting against.
“GM is joining California in our fight for clean air and emission reduction as part of the company’s pursuit of a zero-emissions future,” said Newsom. “This agreement will help accelerate California’s nation-leading commitment to tackling the climate crisis.”
In 2019, California said that it would halt all purchases of new vehicles for state government fleets from not just GM, but also Toyota and any other carmakers backing former president Donald Trump with regards to this environmental issue. All this took place after the state purchased $58.6 million worth of GM vehicles between 2016 and 2018.
In April of last year, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) said that it would restore legal authority to California to set tougher vehicle emission standards and zero-emission vehicle mandates, which didn’t go over too well with various Republican party members.
As far as long-term plans are concerned, California will ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles starting in 2035, although the Biden administration would prefer it if 50% of all new vehicles sold by 2030 would be either fully electric or plug-in hybrids.
Ultimately, the United States can focus on shifting to battery electric vehicles sooner, after the EPA finalized new emissions requirements through 2026 that basically reversed what the Trump administration had been trying to accomplish.
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