Senate Votes to End California’s EV Mandate

On Thursday morning, the Senate voted to eliminate California’s de facto electric vehicle (EV) mandate and to reverse a key promise from President Donald Trump’s campaign regarding the ban on gas-powered cars.

The resolution, put forth by Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia, passed with a party-line vote of 51-44. This move aligns with California’s emissions standards aimed at prohibiting new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Meanwhile, support is shifting as some Democratic senators prepare to retire and will be leaving their positions by May 1.

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, who spearheaded the effort to rescind California’s exemption, portrayed this vote as a significant repudiation of the Democrats’ Green New Deal initiative. He stated, “Washington officials will not dictate what vehicles can be driven in Wyoming or across the country. Republicans rejected the Democrats’ unrealistic vision of permanently banning gas-powered vehicles.” He emphasized that the push for electric vehicles was a critical component of the Green New Deal, and that the Republicans have effectively dismantled that foundation.

Throughout the 2024 election campaign, Trump regularly advocated for the removal of all EV mandates.