California plans to ban gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The Advanced Clean Cars II rule would ban ALL gas car sales in 2035, but there are no alternatives in place. The average American cannot afford an electric car or maintenance on an electric vehicle. Beginning in 2026, 35% of new autos sold in California will be required to produce zero emissions. By 2027, 51% of all new cars will need to be electric, and that amount will rise to 68% in 2028, followed by an all-out ban on gas-powered cars in 2035.
Well, California is already struggling to power the electric vehicles on the road in 2022. The California Independent System Operator called for a “voluntary energy conservation” during the upcoming Labor Day weekend due to the failing power grid. They are asking residents to refrain from charging their cars between 4 PM and 9 PM, which is when demand peaks. “If left unmanaged, the power demanded from many electric vehicles charging simultaneously in the evening will amplify existing peak loads, potentially outstripping the grid’s current capacity to meet demand,” Cornell University’s College of Engineering stated.
So electric vehicles have the potential to take down California’s power grid. The state estimates that it will need 1.2 million charging stations by 2030, but they have a mere 80,000 currently. California does not have the ability to implement this zero-emission ban without toppling the entire power grid.