California will take a major step toward combating climate change by prohibiting the sale of new gasoline-only vehicles by 2035. The new regulations are designed to compel automakers to speed up the release of cleaner automobiles on the market. It follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s goal to hasten the transition away from fossil fuels in 2020. The decision is significant since California has one of the largest economies in the world and is the most populated state in the US. According to regulations set forth by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), by 2026, 35% of new cars sold in the state must be hydrogen, electric, or hybrid vehicles. By 2030 and 2035, respectively, 100% of vehicle sales would be subject to the requirements. The decision, according to CARB chair Laine Randolph, was historic because it charted a course for a future with no emissions for California, its partner states, and the entire world.

The announcement represents California’s most recent action as it continues to tighten emission regulations more quickly than the US federal government. The largest US state by population is California, which has more than 39 million citizens. It would surpass the United Kingdom to become the fifth-largest economy in the world by gross domestic product if it were a separate nation. Tesla senior counsel Joseph Mendelson praised CARB’s approach as feasible and a step toward California taking the lead in electrifying the light duty sector. To increase demand for electric vehicles, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, however, stated that more work needs to be done.