Episode Details

Advanced Clean Car II Rule

The Advanced Clean Car II proposal requires that all new passenger vehicles, trucks, and SUVs sold in California be zero emissions by 2035. The rule will begin with 2026 through 2035 vehicle models and will also require more aggressive tailpipe emission standards for gasoline vehicles. The proposal has two parts: first, it amends the low-emission vehicle regulation, which enact stricter standards on gasoline cars and trucks to reduce smog emissions. Second, the rule relies on advancing zero-emission technologies for hydrogen fuel cell electric, battery-electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Today, California has the largest zero-emission vehicle market in the country, and more than 16% of all new vehicles sold in the state are currently zero-emission or hybrid cars. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) estimates that by 2025 there will be 179 models of zero-emission and plug-in-hybrid cars.

CARB believes that  this proposal will reduce air pollutants, protect public health and fight climate change. CARB estimated the public health benefits of this regulation will be at least $12 billion by 2035, and will reduce premature death, hospitalizations, and lost work days from exposure to harmful air pollutants. CARB also anticipates that the rule will help meet  environmental justice goals by reducing impacts on  disadvantaged, poor, and marginalized communities which disproportionately bear the burden of exposure to some of the worst air and vehicular pollution in the state. A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that in California, African Americans and Latinos breathe in 40% more particulate matter from vehicular air pollution compared to white communities. The transportation sector is also responsible for 50% of California's greenhouse gas emissions and 80% of the state’s smog-causing pollutants. By increasing the number of zero-emission vehicles and cleaning up conventional internal combustion vehicles, these regulations could help reduce the exposure and harm faced by these vulnerable communities. 

The proposal also includes vehicle assurance measures, including setting a minimum warranty, durability requirements, increasing serviceability, and facilitating battery charging. These assurance measures aim to broaden the electric vehicle market. The rule also seeks to broaden access to the zero-emission market by providing reduced-price vehicles for community mobility programs, supporting the production of affordable vehicles, and retaining used electric vehicles in California. In addition, CARB is providing $2.4 billion of incentives for consumers to switch to electric vehicles and other forms of clean transportation. These funds  will cover the costs of more charging infrastructure and increased public outreach. 

This proposal also faces criticism due to some of the innate challenges with electric vehicles. One concern is the driving range of electric vehicles as the average zero-emission car in California is only capable of traveling

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