How state plans to boost EVs with no federal help

Restoring subsidies is key among several strategies identified by California officials.

- BY TONY BRISCOE

GENARO MOLINA Los Angeles Times A WOMAN peruses a lot in Culver City. About 1,500 deaths in Southland each year are blamed on polluted air.

From President Trump's first day back in office, he vowed to unravel California's sway over the nation's auto emission standards by eliminating the state's zero-emission mandates. He made good on that promise in the first several months of his second term.

After a series of controversial congressional votes in May, Trump signed legislation that in effect nullified several of California's auto emission standards, including the state's landmark regulation to ban selling new gas-only cars statewide by 2035.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Trump signed into law in July, will end federal tax credits for zero-emission vehicles — up to $7,500 for car buyers — on Sept. 30. Because electric vehicles generally cost more than their gas-powered counterparts, government incentives were critical in encouraging Americans to buy cleaner cars. There is already a slump in statewide sales of electric vehicles.

Without the federal rebates and subsidies to support widespread adoption of electric vehicles, California will almost surely fall short of its greenhouse gas reduction targets and remain in violation of federal air quality standards. Unless, that is, Sacramento steps in, in a big way.

Gov. Gavin Newsom in June signed an executive order reaffirming California's commitment to its emissions goals, and in effect sending state agencies back to the drawing board in light of a newly antagonistic federal government. Their task: to reassert California's climate leadership and identify policies to boost zero-emission vehicle sales.

On Tuesday, state officials delivered an eight-page report to the governor's office detailing several strategies to do just that.