At least 60 nations and territories have set dates for their planned full phase outs of diesel- and gas-powered cars.
The long list of countries planning to ban sales of new fossil fuel vehicles shows a growing trend of countries moving beyond gasoline to allegedly cleaner and cheaper alternatives such as more public transportation and electric vehicles.
As of 2024, 60 countries are set to ban gasoline and diesel cars by specific dates to combat climate change. Norway leads the charge, aiming for a total shift to electric vehicles by 2025, which is considered to be an easier target to reach given how 80 percent of new cars sold in the country are already fully electric.
The rest of Europe is moving quickly too, with the European Union setting a target of 2035, though there is some contention within the bloc, with multiple nations giving themselves loopholes. Germany, for example, known for its massive car industry, is set to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035 but has pressured the EU to adopt a loophole for cars that run on synthetic fuels. Others, like Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania are similarly hoping to push the EU-wide ban further back.
Meanwhile, other EU nations and territories are pushing for even tighter deadlines. Greece, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and Belgium's Flanders region are all set to end the sale of gas-powered cars between 2029 and 2031. (Related: EU lawmakers approve effective 2035 ban on new fossil fuel cars.)
In Asia, the South Asian nation of Sri Lanka has made headlines with one of the most stringent goals, announcing a complete road ban on combustion engine cars, tuk-tuks and motorcycles by 2040, in addition to a phase-out on new gasoline car sales.
In Africa, Cape Verde set an internal objective to phase-out the sale of new gas cars by 2035 in alignment with the COP26 climate agreement, which set a date of 2040 for the end of new combustion engine car sales.
12 U.S. states have passed similar bans on new gas car sales
A dozen states in the United States are also planning to ban the sale of gas-powered cars. California is notable among the pack, when back in August 2022 the California Air Resources Board approved a new measure requiring all new cars, SUVs and pickup trucks sold in the state to generate zero tailpipe emissions by 2035.
California is unique in that, under Section 177 of the federal Clean Air Act of 1963, states must either adhere to federal emissions standards or adopt California's even more stringent protocols.
Seventeen states have historically chosen to follow in California's footsteps, but so far only 11 other states – all fully controlled by Democrats – have announced that they will enforce the Advanced Clean Cars II rule and prohibit the sale of new gas-powered cars. These states are Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
Most of these states will also be banning new gas car sales by 2035, all except for Maine and Vermont, which have both set earlier deadlines of 2028 and 2030, respectively.
EV owners are fleeing back to gas-powered cars. Watch this video.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
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