New York is the latest state to adopt the Advanced Clean Car II regulations, a move legislators say will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide significant air quality and health benefits statewide, especially in low-income communities burdened by transportation-related pollution.
The state will invest more than $1 billion in zero-emission vehicles of all weight classes over the next five years to meet the goal of 100 percent of vehicle sales being all-electric by 2035. The plan is to increase the percentage of light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission each year, starting with 35 percent in 2026.
In addition to reducing ozone and related health concerns for disadvantaged communities near transit routes with heavy traffic, the plan intends to promote sustainability and renewable energy.
The regulations include revised pollutant standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines made between 2026 through 2034, a timeline meant to offer flexibility for manufacturers.
Adoption of Advanced Clean Cars II, which has been in the works since the enactment of the Climate Plan in 2019, will support the state in achieving its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels as required by the Climate Act.
The regulatory action comes just a year after the state adopted the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which will boost the number of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission models available for purchase.
The state also adopted California's Heavy-Duty Low Nitrogen Oxide Omnibus and Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas standards, requiring medium- and heavy-duty engine manufacturers to sell cleaner vehicles, such as heavy-duty trucks, that meet new greenhouse gas emissions standards.
Climate Action Council Co-Chair Doreen Harris says putting more clean vehicles also provides consumers with more choices in the type of vehicle they drive. "As we advance vehicle electrification, we are also raising the bar for energy efficient appliances with new standards that call for products to feature the latest technologies and energy saving features," Harris, NYSERDA president and CEO, said in a statement.
In an effort to expand electric vehicle use, the state will launch initiatives including zero-emission vehicle purchase rebates through NYSERDA.
The state will also adopt the Advanced Building Codes, Appliance and Equipment Efficiency Standards Act of 2022 beginning Jan. 1, to set minimum energy and water efficiency requirements for residential and commercial products. The plan will phase out inefficient and wasteful products to save more than 25 billion gallons in annual water by 2035, according to state officials.
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