Following California, New York Mandates Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2035

pcmag.com:

All new cars sold in New York State must be zero emissions by 2035, Governor Kathy Hochul announced(Opens in a new window) today.

Hochul directed the State Department of Environmental Conservation to take action that will require all new passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs sold in the region to be zero emissions over the next 13 years, which means(Opens in a new window) battery electric, fuel-cell, or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

It’s a phased plan that dictates an increasing percentage over the coming years, starting with 35% of sales by 2026, then 68% by 2030, and 100% by 2035.

“This is a crucial regulatory step to achieving significant greenhouse gas emission reductions from the transportation sector,” Hochul's office said in a statement. Transportation is the largest source of emissions nationwide, accounting for 27% of the total(Opens in a new window).

Hochul says the state will continue its existing rebate program, which provides $2,000 per vehicle to help customers offset the cost of an electric vehicle. 

For charging, New York received $175 million from the federal government’s pool of $5 billion to build a nationwide charging network over the next five years. President Biden announced earlier this week that all states are now approved to begin using the funds to build and install chargers.

“You have no more excuses [to say], ‘Well, there’s not enough charging stations,'" says Hochul. “That era is over, and we’re ready to launch into the future.”

EV sales in NY are up 30% this year over 2021, Hochul said, even with a chip shortage that restricted the total number of vehicles the auto industry could produce. To drive home her message, Hochul pulled up to the press conference in White Plains in a Chevrolet Bolt EV,