New York to ban sales of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035

The state of New York is emerging as a big supporter of environmental sustainability. This new status as the governor has assented to a bill banning the sale of new internal combustion engine cars and trucks by 2035.

Governor Kathy Hochul put her signature on bill S.2758/A.4302, introduced in October 2020. The legislation aims to eliminate new ICEs in two stages. Passenger cars and trucks, off-road vehicles, and equipment will go first by 2035. Medium and heavy-duty vehicles follow by 2045.

As part of the legislation, the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation will develop a regulation for trucks that mandates manufacturers to make a certain percentage of their annual sales of zero-emission vehicles. The framework will be based on California’s Advanced Clean Trucks Rule and will start from 2025 models.

New York’s goal is to have at least 55 percent of new Class 2b-3 pickup trucks and vans, 75 percent of Class 4–8 trucks, and 40 percent of new Class 7–8 tractors sold in New York be pollution-free.

In addition, the state agencies and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will create a market development strategy for zero-emission vehicles by the end of January 2023.

According to Governor Hochul, “New York is implementing the nation’s most aggressive plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions affecting our climate and to reach our ambitious goals, we must reduce emissions from the transportation sector, currently the largest source of the state’s climate pollution. The new law and regulation mark a critical milestone in our efforts and will further advance the transition to clean electric vehicles while helping to reduce emissions in communities that have been overburdened by pollution from cars and trucks for decades.”

In California which is a pioneer state in environmental conservation policies, Governor Gavin Newsom made a similar executive order that banned sales of new ICE passenger vehicles by 2035. More state-wide bans may be coming as 12 states urged the president to implement a similar ban nationwide.

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