California to phase out sale of gas-only cars by 2035
STORY: In just a little over a decade, gas pumps in California could be well on their way to becoming a thing of the past.
On Thursday, the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, voted to adopt sweeping regulations that would end the sale of gas-powered vehicles in America's most-populous state by 2035.
Instead, the state will require all new vehicles sold there to be fully electric, or plug-in electric hybrids that could also have gasoline engines.
Officials say that would put them on track to cutting smog-causing pollution from light-duty vehicles in 2037 by one-fourth.
Liane Randolph is the chair of the CARB.
"With the phasing out of new sales of internal combustion engine vehicles, this could well be the final set of major criteria pollutant emission standards for new light duty conventional vehicles."
Thursday's announcement may be good news for car makers like Toyota, which is investing heavily in plug-ins.
However Tesla, which only produces electric vehicles, has called for an even faster route to all-electric sales.
But it also said the new rules will be 'extremely challenging even in California'.
These rules still need federal approval from President Joe Biden, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers trade association has urged them to reject what they've called an 'unlawful ban'.
The White House and EPA did not immediately comment.
Biden has previously declined to set a firm date on phasing out gas-only vehicles.
The EPA is working on setting U.S. emissions limits through at least 2030.
