New York Passes Law Banning Fossil Fueled Vehicles Sales By 2035

If this is meant to Save The Planet, why not do it now? Will the state, and, especially, the lawmakers and Governor’s office, be giving up their own use of fossil fuels? What of all the airports?

New York passes law that will ban all gas-powered car sales by 2035

In 14 years’ time, no fossil fuel-powered vehicles will be sold in New York anymore. The state has passed a new law that bans the sale of gas vehicles starting in 2035, requiring all new cars to be zero emission. New York’s Senate and Assembly passed the bill and Governor Kathy Hochul signed it into law last week. The move will help reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent and help it achieve its climate targets, including an 85 reduction in GHG emissions by 2050.

This essentially does away with even regular and plugin hybrid sales.

As Ars Technica notes, though, the state has a lot of work ahead of it, considering only around one percent of new vehicles sold in New York at the moment is fully electric. That’s why, under the new law, several state agencies are required to work together to conjure a zero-emissions vehicle market development strategy by the end of next year. They’ll have to find a feasible way to make sure that even off-road vehicles and equipment sold in the state are emissions-free by 2035. The law also requires all medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold in New York to be emissions-free by 2045.

It sure looks like the state is going to attempt to take over the new car sales business, creating a massive bureacracy and dictating what dealers will be able to sell. Well, those which are left, because a ton will close, as they will not have the product, and, unless prices drop massively by 2035, the customers, as most will not be able to afford them or find them convenient, since many have long drives, and the short range of the least expensive EVs will cause issues. Further, what of those who need all wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles due to the snowy nature of New York? How will this work for family vehicles and work vehicles that are not considered medium and heavy duty?

An interesting part of the law as written is this is about the sale of vehicles that use fossil fuels, not the registration. So, people will simply go to other states to purchase. But, will gas stations close all over, putting a lot of people out of work, just like with car dealerships? Meaning it is tough to refill the vehicle?

Fortunately, they are going to make it easy for people to bike

SUPPORTING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN OPTIONS, PARTICULARLY IN LOW-INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE, BY INCORPORATING SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO PROJECTS WHERE APPROPRIATE.

Sounds fun, right?