New York Follows California in Banning New Gas Cars by 2035
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 3 min read
New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed a law that bans the sale of gas cars in the state by 2035. All passenger cars, light trucks and off-road vehicles in the state will need to be zero emissions by that year.
"The new law and regulation mark a critical milestone in our efforts and will further advance the transition to clean electric vehicles, while helping to reduce emissions in communities that have been overburdened by pollution from cars and trucks for decades," Hochul said in a statement, according to
Motor Authority
. 
The electric vehicle legislation in New York
According to
Roadshow
, the state of New York currently defines zero-emissions vehicles as all-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Over the next five years, the state is reportedly spending upwards of $1 billion across all types of zero-emissions vehicles. The legislation also includes proposed regulation to reduce air pollution from medium and heavy-duty trucks—which have until 2045 to go emissions free. As noted in a blog post from the governor’s office, all new trucks sold in New York will need to be zero-emissions starting with the 2025 model year.
As reported by
CNBC
, the legislation is part of New York State’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050. If New York does closely follow the California legislation, there might be some room for combustion engines, as Motor Authority reports.
Last year, California also called for a ban of new internal-combustion vehicle sales by 2035—but later clarification revealed it will actually be 85% electric vehicles, and the remaining 20% as plug-in hybrid vehicles that have at least 50 miles of electric range.
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Challenges for electric vehicles in New York State
While the legislation is meant to curb carbon emissions, it will come with some challenges, including lack of public charging stations, high cost of electric vehicles, and insufficient infrastructure in current power grids.
According to
Electrek
, New York is directing state agencies to develop plans to support rolling out the zero-emission vehicles standards. There will reportedly be specific regulations and plans, focusing on supporting affordable charging options, and infrastructure to support zero-emissions vehicles as well as bicycle and pedestrian options. In addition, New York City seems to be already working on a plan.
According to the
New York City Department of Transportation
, New York City is creating PlugNYC, which is a comprehensive network of publicly accessible Level 2 Chargers and DC fast chargers. Level 2 charging stations allow for charging an electric vehicle while it’s parked at home, at work, or curbside. DC fast chargers are similar to a gas station. New York’s electrical grid
According to Electrek, New York is already the lowest-emitting state per capita, and interestingly, the state has a pretty clean electrical grid.
The report goes on to say that natural gas does make up 37% of the state’s electricity generation, a majority of New York’s electricity is generated by zero-emissions sources.
In fact, upstate New York is largely fueled by hydroelectric power from Quebec—and it’s both zero-carbon and one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation.
New York’s new legislation will not impact existing gas and diesel vehicles that are sold before the 2035 deadline.
