(RepublicanInformer.com)- As the Biden administration considers national electric vehicle rules, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on Friday that he is “interested” in an anticipated California ban on new gas-powered cars.
A benchmark mandating 35% of new vehicles to emit zero emissions by 2026 was recently announced by the California Air Resources Board. This level will gradually increase to 100% by 2035. Buttigieg made the case that a swift switch to electric vehicles is necessary to effectively tackle climate change during an interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles.
Buttigieg observed that it was interesting to see how the states attempt to go above and beyond what is being done at the federal level.
Days before the Golden State asked citizens to reduce their energy use during peak hours to prevent a power grid breakdown, California released new criteria.
Officials requested that citizens refrain from charging electric vehicles, among other things. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and other prominent decision-makers have cautioned against the hasty adoption of renewable energy options because they could have adverse economic effects.
However, Buttigieg stated that swift action is required for a solid electric vehicle policy. He said we must ensure that this occurs swiftly enough to aid in the fight against climate change.
“We must ensure that it is affordable enough so that low-income individuals, who would benefit most from the gas savings if they could get EVs in the first place, are included,” Buttigieg said.
According to an information sheet from the White House, the Biden administration has only acquired 100% zero-emission light-duty cars by 2027 and will apply the same criteria to all vehicles in the federal government’s fleet by 2035. The administration has, however, set the “ambitious objective” of having 50% of new cars sold in the US by 2030 be electric vehicles.
The Inflation Reduction Act includes $7,500 tax incentives for new electric vehicles and allocates $369 billion for climate efforts.
Jennifer Granholm, the secretary of energy, recently urged Americans who are paying high gas prices to move away from gas-powered vehicles.
