USA: California’s Advanced Clean Cars II Program referenced in more and more states

 

Another US state, New Jersey, is planning to incorporate by reference California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, which will require manufacturers of passenger cars and light-duty trucks to meet an annual zero-emission vehicle requirement intended to increase the percentage of ZEVs sold in the State that meet the new minimum technical requirements.

The Advanced Clean Cars II regulations will swiftly decrease emissions from light-duty passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs, starting from the 2026 model year and continuing through 2035. These regulations consist of two main components. First, they modify the Zero-emission Vehicle Regulation, requiring an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles. This approach leverages current advanced vehicle technologies such as battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to meet air quality and climate change emission standards. These modifications align with Governor Newsom’s 2020 Executive Order N-79-20, which mandates that all new passenger vehicles sold in California must be zero emissions by 2035. Second, the Low-emission Vehicle Regulations have been updated to impose progressively stricter standards for gasoline-powered cars and heavier passenger trucks, aimed at further reducing emissions that contribute to smog.

These regulations will significantly diminish air pollutants that pose threats to public health and contribute to climate change. In addition to fostering the growth of the zero-emission vehicle market, the regulations also include measures to improve the environmental performance of internal combustion engines.

To date, 17 states have adopted all or part of California’s low-emission and zero-emission vehicle regulations, as allowed under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act. This additional support for the clean vehicle market means that more than 35% of national new light-duty vehicle sales meet California automotive emissions standards.

A public hearing concerning the proposal will be conducted virtually via the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on 21 September 2023 at 9:30 A.M. Eastern Time.

The full text of the proposed rulemaking is available HERE.

To find out more about vehicle regulations in the US, please contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research directly.