Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday said he will stop the state from adopting a California rule that would require all new vehicle sales to be zero-emission by 2035.
“Once again, Virginia is declaring independence — this time from a misguided electric vehicle mandate imposed by unelected leaders nearly 3,000 miles away from the Commonwealth,” said Youngkin, a Republican, in a statement.
The move comes just months after a regulatory board formally approved regulations to comply with California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule.
Virginia’s General Assembly in 2021 passed a law requiring the state to comply with California’s Advanced Clean Cars I rule, which took effect on Jan. 1 of this year and requires increasing percentages of new vehicle sales to emit zero emissions, up to 22 percent for model year 2025. A number of other states have adopted California’s rules.
