An electric car charges at a mall parking lot on June 27, 2022 in Corte Madera, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
OAN Shannon Kelland UPDATED 12:22 PM PT – Monday, December 26, 2022
Oregon is the 5th state to approve the rule that prohibits the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
Last week, Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission voted to enact a new rule that will ban the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035.
The Beaver State plans to cut climate-warming emissions by 50% by 2035 and by 90% by 2050. The states transportation sector accounts for approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon.
The Oregon House Republicans released the following statement after the Environmental Quality Commission approved a rule to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. #orleg#orpolpic.twitter.com/pxFWoxE0PJ
None of the new rules will ban gas-powered cars from their streets. Oregon citizens will still be able to buy and sell used gas-powered vehicles and will be able to purchase them out of state and title them at home.
The new rule is based on vehicle emission standards that California adopted in August. The standards require car manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles. This includes electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Starting with 35% in 2026 and increasing to 100% by 2035 of the manufacturers total sales.
Automakers will not be allowed to sell new only gas-powered cars within their borders after 2035.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to put ourselves on a strategic and more equitable path, if we don’t adopt the rule, the system will still electrify. We just won’t have the same options and we won’t upgrade the grid in a strategic proactive way,” said Commissioner Amy Schlusser.
The rule includes cars that have gasoline engines as long as they also have plug-in electric systems, also known as PHEVs.
PHEVs use electric power to travel a certain distance after that the gasoline engine kicks in. Models currently on the market travel about 30 miles of electric-only driving. Owning a PHEV is similar to owning an electric car, however it allows the consumer to take longer trips without worrying about recharging.
Commissioner Greg Addington, who voted against the rule, acknowledged the struggle for many Oregonians. Many rural parts of the state, do not support the rule because they do not have access to electric vehicle charging ports.
“There are a lot of people in the state who don’t get where this is going,” Addington said.
California grid operator tells Oregon to conserve power.
In order to make it more affordable to switch low-and-moderate-income, Oregonians are eligible for rebates to buy electric cars.
The new rule requires manufacturers to increase access to affordable zero-emission vehicles. The state will offer incentives to manufacturers to sell electric cars to community car share programs, to produce lower-cost zero-emission cars. It also will incentivize used electric cars to dealerships participating in low-income assistance programs.
