In what would be the nation’s most ambitious climate regulation, the proposal is designed to ensure that electric cars make up the majority of new U.S. auto sales by 2032.
Government scientists have spent a year analyzing electric vehicles to help the E.P.A. design new tailpipe rules to trigger an electric car revolution.
Berlin and Brussels are scrambling for a solution after Germany calls for allowing cars to run on synthetic fuels. The move could endanger the E.U.’s climate goals.
The revolution is also a case study in how much further we have to go.
The manufacturing and disposal of electric vehicles result in more greenhouse gases than nonelectric models, but that difference will eventually disappear altogether.
Enforcement could be complex and legal challenges are likely. But ultimately, experts say, success or failure will depend on steady supply and buyers’ appetite.
The move to phase out gasoline-powered cars, with other states expected to follow, matches automakers’ plans. The challenge will be making it happen.
The decision, to take effect by 2035, will very likely speed a wider transition to electric vehicles because many other states follow California’s standards.
Welcome to Commerce, Ga., the Battery Belt.
The climate bill will make cleaner energy cheaper for everyone.
