Automotive
In a high-stakes move that could ripple across the auto industry and environmental policy for years to come, the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to block California’s landmark plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The decision, widely supported by Republicans and now headed to the desk of President Trump for his signature, marks a significant reversal of what had been the most aggressive state-led push toward electric vehicle adoption.
California’s rule, which was first announced in 2020 by Governor Gavin Newsom, aimed to phase out new gas-powered cars over the next decade in favor of electric and plug-in hybrid models, a bold step in the fight to cut emissions from the transportation sector. The state had received a waiver from the EPA in December, during the final weeks of President Biden’s term, to enforce stricter vehicle emissions regulations than those set at the federal level. That waiver now faces a legal and political crossfire.
The Senate vote, coming after Republicans established a new procedural workaround to bypass the usual filibuster, has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and environmental advocates. Many see the vote not only as a blow to climate efforts, but also as an unprecedented intrusion into states’ rights to regulate their own environmental policies. California controls roughly 11% of the U.S. car market, and its standards often shape national trends, with about a dozen other states typically following its lead.
Senator Adam Schiff of California didn’t hold back in his response, saying the vote should “send a chill down the spine of legislators in every state,” and warning that the Senate’s actions could undermine a state’s fundamental right to set policies that protect its citizens.
Supporters of the measure to block the gas car ban argue it’s about preserving consumer choice and protecting the auto industry from what they view as unrealistic mandates. Senate Majority Leader John Thune voiced concerns that California’s rules were becoming a de facto national policy, especially as other states mirrored the ban. He also pointed to issues with grid capacity and cost burdens on both manufacturers and drivers, calling the mandates “unsustainable.”
Notably, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was the only Democrat to back the measure. Representing a state deeply tied to the auto industry, Slotkin said her vote reflected the need to support over a million auto workers whose livelihoods could be disrupted by a forced and accelerated EV transition.
Automakers have expressed mixed feelings. While most major manufacturers are investing heavily in electrification, some question whether EV adoption can scale at the pace regulators demand. John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, echoed this sentiment, saying, “The fact is these EV sales mandates were never achievable.” He emphasized the disconnect between consumer demand and the speed of regulatory change.
At the heart of this clash is a broader political shift. The new Republican-controlled Senate has begun to unravel many climate-related policies enacted under the previous administration. Thursday’s vote was part of a trio of rollbacks, including measures to block new EPA rules on medium and heavy-duty truck emissions and restrictions on nitrogen oxide pollution. All three passed the House earlier this month and now await final approval from the White House.
California’s government has indicated it will not go down without a fight. Officials, including Governor Newsom, have vowed to challenge the Senate’s move in court, arguing that the state has long had the authority, via Clean Air Act waivers, to implement its own emissions standards. The Biden-era EPA had backed California, stating opponents failed to meet the legal threshold to overturn the waiver.
With legal battles looming and deep divisions in Congress, what happens next could determine how aggressively the U.S. shifts toward electric vehicles. More than just a policy dispute, this is a flashpoint in the ongoing tug-of-war between state and federal authority, environmental urgency, and the economic realities of a rapidly evolving auto industry.
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