Oregon Follows California, Bans Combustion New Car Sales By 2035

Republished By Plato

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The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality put its stamp of approval on rules that effectively ban the sale of new cars, SUVs, and light-duty pickups with combustion-powered engines, be it gasoline or diesel. Called Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC), the rules require all new-vehicle sales in Oregon to be 100 percent electric by 2035, though there are some exceptions.

Plug-in hybrid vehicle sales will be allowed, though there isn’t a clear mention of criteria regarding electric-only range. ACC II also makes specific mention of light-duty trucks, but doesn’t address heavy-duty models like the Ford Super Duty, Silverado HD, or Ram HD pickups. The ruling doesn’t affect combustion-powered vehicles already in use, nor does it prohibit the sale of used cars with gas or diesel engines. Additionally, ACC II prevents in-state sales, but not purchases or vehicle registrations. In theory, a buyer could go out of state to buy a new car without issue.

While the 100-percent-electric mandate doesn’t activate until 2035, ACC II goes into effect immediately with various requirements for manufacturers to meet in the coming years. According to a report from Oregon Live, the first phase drops in 2026 requiring zero-emission vehicle sales of 35 percent. The report also states automakers are required to make EVs more accessible to lower-income households and communities of color.

ACC II passed the Environmental Quality Commission in a 3-1 vote on December 19. Of approximately 700 comments on the issue received by the Commission, 500 were reportedly in favor of the action.

“With today’s adoption of the ACC II Rule, all those living in Oregon will benefit from the cleaner air and improved public health outcomes achieved by reducing pollution from transportation,” said DEQ Interim Director Leah Feldon. “This is especially true for low-income and underrepresented communities across the state who live closest to roadways and have been most often impacted by poor air quality.”

In August 2022, California approved a ruling to stop combustion-powered vehicle sales by 2035. Numerous US states are now considering similar measures.