California Bans Gas-Powered Car Sales

The Golden State is officially sticking a fork in gas-powered vehicles.

California will prohibit the sale of new, gas-powered cars by 2035. That is thanks to a rule recently issued by the state’s Air Resources Board.

The move comes some two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom used an executive order to set a 2035 target to end the sale of new internal combustion engine cars. Newsom told the New York Times that the new rule is “one of the most significant steps to the elimination of the tailpipe as we know it.”

“Our kids are going to act like it’s a rotary phone or changing the channel on a television,” the governor told the newspaper. 

The move comes as major auto manufacturers have been shifting to electric and hybrid vehicle production.

General Motors, for example, announced early last year that it will only sell zero-emissions vehicles by 2035. That is five years later than the 2030 deadline by which Volkswagen says it will offer an electric version of each of its models. 

Ford said last year that it plans to make electric cars 40% of its annual vehicle sales by 2030. It has since rolled out a slew of electric versions of existing vehicles like the popular F150 truck.

But pulling the plug on gas-powered vehicles has not been entirely smooth. Many carmakers have struggled to ensure that their e-vehicles, and particularly the batteries in those vehicles, are safe for consumers.

Federal investigators are currently looking into a string of electric car fires and a series of recalls for plug-in cars in California and across the country. Five major car manufacturers - General Motors, Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and Volkswagen -

have recalled cars in the last 17 months, citing battery problems that pose fire risks.

Meanwhile, other states are expected to follow California’s lead. At least 12 other states, including Washington, New York and Massachusetts, are in line to enact similar restrictions on gas car sales, according to the Times.

California Lemon Law: What You Need to Know

Whether you are driving an electric car or are still pumping gas into your vehicle, the risk that your car is defective or malfunctions is very real.

Major car manufacturers recall millions of vehicles around the world every year, citing a wide range of defects that increase the risk of accidents and injuries. These recalls are often announced long after the cars have left production factories and been sold by dealers to unsuspecting buyers.

Fortunately, car owners in California do not need to wait for a recall to get defective and malfunctioning vehicles fixed.

The California lemon law forces carmakers to perform a full range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also requires manufacturers to buy back (or replace, in some situations) vehicles that they cannot or simply refuse to fix. 

Speak With a California Lemon Law Attorney at Our Firm

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle or are haggling with a car manufacturer over repairs, the California lemon lawyers at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney at our firm.