Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) hurled some pretty heavy criticism at the state of California over its newly settled electric vehicle plan that will seek to ban the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles by as soon as 2035, claiming that he will push to outright block the effort from trying to spread to the Old Dominion.
Youngkin issues these remarks as part of a release via social media late Friday in the wake of the announcement of California’s insane new plan.
“In an effort to turn Virginia into California, liberal politicians who previously ran our government sold Virginia out by subjecting Virginia drivers to California vehicle laws,” posted Youngkin.
“Now, under that pact, Virginians will be forced to adopt the California law that prohibits the sale of gas and diesel-fueled vehicles. I am already at work to prevent this ridiculous edict from being forced on Virginians. California’s out-of-touch laws have no place in our Commonwealth,” he continued in another post.
My statement on untying Virginia from California’s EV rule: https://t.co/BWSQKSgN4V pic.twitter.com/MK3mNKPyBb
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) August 26, 2022
His social media post also included a link to a report from the Associated Press about the work being done by Virginia’s Republicans to try and stop the current path of the commonwealth from taking a similar route.
Back in 2021, while still under a Democrat-led state government, Virginia shoved through a law that required a certain percentage of newly sold passenger vehicles to be either hybrid electric or fully electric. The new law calls for yet another 8% of new vehicles to be included in 2024, with this increasing over time until it completely phases out all non-electric powered new vehicles.
Republicans are now leading a new effort to push back against this legislation in an effort to end the currently running electric vehicle plan.
“House Republicans will advance legislation in 2023 to put Virginians back in charge of Virginia’s auto emission standards and its vehicle marketplace. Virginia is not, and should not be, California,” expressed Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) in a release, as reported this past Saturday by the Associated Press.
This plan comes in the wake of an announcement from Thursday that California’s Air Resources Boards (CARB) are slated to go into effect at incremental levels in 2026 before topping out at a 100% ban against new gas cars by 2035.
The California policy will force 35% of all new vehicles sold to produce absolutely zero emissions by as soon as 2026, which will increase up to 68% of new cars by 2030 before jumping to 100% of new cards for 2035. used cars will not be considered with the new plan.
It was also established by Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee that their state would follow along in California’s footsteps later this year.
“This is a critical milestone in our climate fight,” he tweeted out. “Washington set in law a goal for all new car sales to be zero emissions by 2030 and we’re ready to adopt California’s regs by end of this year.”
This is a critical milestone in our climate fight. Washington set in law a goal for all new car sales to be zero emissions by 2030 and we’re ready to adopt California’s regs by end of this year. https://t.co/r6jchISD7O
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) August 24, 2022
