‘Ridiculous Edict’: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Blasts California’s Gas Car Phase Out

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) blasted California’s new electric vehicle plan that will ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 2035, saying he will push to block the effort from spreading to the Old Dominion.

Youngkin shared the remarks in a statement on social media Friday following California’s announcement of the 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,” Youngkin wrote.

“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 added.

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 statement posted to Twitter included a link to an Associated Press report regarding work by Virginia’s Republicans to stop the commonwealth’s current path toward a similar move.

In 2021 under a Democratic-led state government, Virginia passed a law requiring a certain percentage of new passenger vehicles sold to be electric or hybrid electric. The law calls for an initial 8% of new vehicles in 2024, increasing over time until all new vehicles are electric-powered.

Republicans are now leading an effort to push new legislation to end the 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,” Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) said in a statement, according to the Associated Press on Saturday.

The actions follow a Thursday announcement by the Golden State that California’s Air Resources Boards (CARB) rules will go into effect at incremental levels in 2026 before reaching a 100% ban on new gas car sales by 2035.

California’s policy will require 35% of new vehicles sold to produce zero emissions by 2026, increasing to 68% of new cars by 2030 before moving to 100% of new cars in 2035. Used cars will not be included in the plan.

Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee also announced his state would adopt California’s plan later this year.

“This is a critical milestone in our climate fight,” he tweeted. “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

The Daily Wire reported Friday that Massachusetts plans to adopt similar regulations to California.

The changes follow an executive order signed by President Joe Biden last year that challenged the federal government to see half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2030 be electric or hybrid electric.

“There’s a vision of the future that is now beginning to happen, a future of the automobile industry that is electric — battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, fuel cell electric,” Biden said when signing the order in August 2021, according to The New York Times. “The question is whether we’ll lead or fall behind in the future.”

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