Virginia Breaks Free from California’s EV Mandate
Virginia will exit the California electric vehicle mandate effective at the end of 2024, Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin said on Wednesday.
The Governor announced today the end of the California EV mandate in Virginia, effective at the end of 2024 when California’s current regulations expire.
Back in 2021, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation authorizing Virginia’s Air Board to adopt California’s “Advanced Clean Cars I” regulation.
But the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has recently adopted “Advanced Clean Cars II,” set to take effect January 1, 2025, which would require 100% of new cars sold in Model Year 2035 to be electric vehicles.
In today’s announcement, Governor Youngkin said that “An official opinion from Attorney General Jason Miyares in response to a request by the Governor and Senate Republican Leader Ryan McDougle confirms that Virginia is not required to comply with expansive new mandates adopted by the unelected California Air Resources Board (CARB) set to take effect January 1, 2025.”
“Once again, Virginia is declaring independence – this time from a misguided electric vehicle mandate imposed by unelected leaders nearly 3,000 miles away from the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a statement.
“The idea that government should tell people what kind of car they can or can’t purchase is fundamentally wrong. Virginians deserve the freedom to choose which vehicles best fit the needs of their families and businesses.”
“EV mandates like California’s are unworkable and out of touch with reality, and thankfully the law does not bind us to their regulations,” Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares said.
“California does not control which cars Virginians buy and any thoughts that automobile manufacturers should face millions of dollars in civil penalties rather than allowing our citizens to choose their own vehicles is completely absurd.”
Commenting on the announcement of the end of the California EV mandate in Virginia, Thomas Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance, said “What happens in California should stay in California, especially bad policies like a ban on gasoline powered cars and trucks.”
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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