The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate made a bold move on Thursday by voting to revoke California’s progressive vehicle emission standards, going against traditional congressional norms. The vote, which ended in a 51-44 decision, overturned a Biden-era waiver that allowed California and other Democratic-led states to enforce zero-emission requirements for new passenger vehicles. This included a rule that would have banned the sale of new gasoline-only cars by 2035.
Debate and testimony took center stage as legislators deliberated over the decision to strike down the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which aimed to accelerate electric vehicle sales in California and reduce air pollution and carbon emissions from tailpipes. This landmark regulation, enacted in 2022 by the California Air Resources Board and granted a federal waiver by the Biden administration in December 2024, required car manufacturers to increase the percentage of zero-emission or plug-in hybrid vehicles sold to California dealerships over the next decade.
Starting next year, the rule would have mandated that 35% of all new vehicles supplied to California dealerships be zero-emission vehicles or plug-in hybrids, with a complete ban on the sale of gas-only cars by 2035. The Republican senators effectively put an end to one of California’s most ambitious environmental policies, challenging the state’s authority to set vehicle standards to combat air quality issues. If signed into law by President Trump and upheld against legal challenges, the vote would deal a severe blow to California’s efforts to comply with federal smog standards and meet climate goals.
