In California, the initiative is being led by the state's Air Resources Board, which approved ZEV rules Aug. 25, requiring that 100 percent of new car sales in the state to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
Now, a little over a month later, Hochul has asked the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to implement similar rules.
These rules would require an increasing percentage of new light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission vehicles starting with 35 percent of sales for vehicles made in 2026, followed by 68 percent of sales by 2030 and 100 percent of sales by 2035.
It would also require new pollutant standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines made between 2026 and 2034.
“New York is a national climate leader and an economic powerhouse, and we're using our strength to help spur innovation and implementation of zero-emission vehicles on a grand scale," Hochul said in a release. “With sustained state and federal investments, our actions are incentivizing New Yorkers, local governments and businesses to make the transition to electric vehicles.”
As for actually implementing these new rules, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a release, “DEC will continue to work under her direction to rapidly issue this regulation and reach another milestone in the transition from fossil fuels so that more people, businesses and governments will have the ZEV options to meet their needs and help improve the health of their communities.”
