Connecticut to Ban Gasoline-Powered Cars by 2035

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont speaks during a visit to a vaccination clinic in Stamford, Conn., on March 14, 2021. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Connecticut has become the latest state to lean into the Biden administration’s push for net-zero in its fight against climate change, with the state’s governor announcing proposed regulations that will ban the sale of new light-duty fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2035.

The state’s Democrat Gov. Ned Lamont announced the draft regulations last week, calling it “decisive action to meet our climate pollution reduction targets,” while critics said the move would hurt consumers by forcing them to buy more expensive electric vehicles.

The new rules, which are open to public comment until Aug. 23, would require auto dealerships in Connecticut to start phasing out sales of new fossil fuel-powered cars, trucks, and SUVs in 2027 before the full ban takes effect in 2035.

“Cars and trucks represent the largest air pollution sector in our state and these regulations are moving in coordination with commitments made by vehicle manufacturers to go all in on electrification,” Mr. Lamont said in a statement.

Mr. Lamont also announced standards (pdf) that require an increasing share of medium and heavy-duty vehicles—such as tractor-trailers and dump trucks—to become electrified, per a bill he signed into law last year that adopted California’s clean air standards for certain vehicle classes.

California adopted regulations last summer to have all new cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs be electric or hydrogen engines by 2035.

While Connecticut’s new rules will require that all new cars sold in 2035 and beyond are “zero-emission” vehicles, gasoline-powered cars will still be allowed to be driven in the state, registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles, and sold as used cars to new owners.

“The fact is that zero-emission vehicles protect public health and improve quality of life,” Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani, said in a statement. “If zero-emission vehicles made up the majority of passenger vehicles on the road, air quality would improve and fewer people would have exacerbations of respiratory conditions.” 

Mr. Lamont’s office said that Connecticut will put various incentive programs in place to encourage residents and businesses to buy new electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles are charging at a charging station in Monterey Park, Calif., on April 12, 2023. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Reactions

While the proposed new rules were hailed by Democrats and climate activists, some Republican lawmakers and transport groups have expressed strong opposition over the government forcing its timeline onto the transition to zero-emissions.

“The wholesale elimination of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 is a policy decision that a majority of Americans don’t agree with, yet Democrats here, using scary words such as ’survival,' aggressively insist on forcing Connecticut down California’s ideological regulatory rabbit hole no matter the financial cost to our state or the people who live here,” Connecticut state House Republican leader Rep. Vincent Candelora said in a statement.

“Promoting government-backed rebates, vouchers, and incentives, they continue to mask the issue of affordability of these vehicles while also downplaying the titanic effort to build out our charging infrastructure,” he added.

By contrast, Connecticut state Sen. Christine Cohen, a Democrat and co-chair of the Transportation Committee, said in a statement that she’s “thrilled” by the government’s launch of the proposed new mandates.

“If we want to get serious about climate change, we need to recognize the role of air quality and tackle carbon emissions from its largest contributor–the transportation sector,“ she said. ”These new regulations will ensure cleaner emissions vehicles are made available for purchase and move Connecticut forward to a greener future.”

A spokesperson for the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut said the timeline for the transition is too fast that consumers would be hit with higher costs.

“From our perspective this is way too fast, the expediency of it will ultimately result in consumers paying that price. What I mean by that, is any cost that is incurred to our business or our carriers, unfortunately has to be passed to consumers,” Motor Transport Association of Connecticut President John Blair told local news outlets.

With the new action, Connecticut joins Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey, and New Mexico in announcing plans to adopt new vehicle emission standards in line with California’s rules.

Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont have finalized their adoption of similar mandates this year or in late 2022.

Electric vehicle parking at a grocery store in Mount Joy, Penn., in February 2023. (Beth Brelje/The Epoch Times)

Doubts About California’s EV Push

In August 2022, regulators in California voted unanimously to approve a plan that will bar the sale of new internal combustion vehicles in the state by 2035.

The Advanced Clean Cars II act (pdf), voted on by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), will gradually phase out gas-powered vehicles in the state in a little over a decade. Of vehicles manufactured in 2026 and sold in California, 35 percent will have to be “zero emission”—up from 12 percent required when the new rule was approved last year.

Like Connecticut residents, Californians will still be able to continue driving gasoline-fueled vehicles and buying used ones after 2035 under the measure. The California plan also allows for one-fifth of sales after 2035 to be plug-in hybrids that can run on batteries and gas, while the rest must be electric vehicles.

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California’s push for zero-emission vehicle adoption came at a time of persistent doubt about the state’s power infrastructure.

“Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directly linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage,” John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said in a statement last year.

Mr. Bozzella added that he and the organization he leads fully backs the aim to get more electric vehicles on the road, but there are policy issues that need to be addressed before that can succeed.

“The questions policymakers should be asking: Are critical mineral and battery supply chains in place? Will the critical mineral mining and processing happen in the United States? Can customers afford the vehicles? Do all communities have the same access to level 2 home charging as single-family homeowners?” Mr. Bozzella said.

“Resolving these questions will determine the ultimate success of the California regulations and the EV transformation.”