Banning Gas Powered Vehicles

Federal bill seeks to ban gas-powered vehicles by 2035
Breana Noble, The Detroit News

West Coast Democrats this week introduced federal legislation that would ban U.S. sales of new vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035, despite electric vehicles accounting for less than 5% of sales last year.

The proposal is hailed as a measure to reduce pollution and protect U.S. manufacturing. It runs counter to the Trump administration's work in rolling back Obama-era fuel economy standards that the overall industry hasn't met since 2015. Meanwhile, consumers are buying up trucks and SUVs with gas prices sitting closer to $2 than $4.

"If we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle class in America," Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, who introduced the bill with California Rep. Mike Levin, said in a statement. "By moving aggressively and boldly now, we can help save Americans from the dire health and economic impacts of the climate crisis, and make sure American workers are the ones building the next generation of cars for the world."

The proposal comes on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month signing an order seeking to ban new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Likewise, a recent report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection suggests all new vehicles will need to be electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035 to meet the state's climate goals.

The federal standard proposed by the legislation would require that in five years, 50% of new sales would be zero-emission vehicles — with that figure increasing by five percentage points each year until 2035.

COMMENT:  

Let's suppose that we do actually stop building and selling gas powered vehicles by  2035, we will still need to have oil production and refinement for the next 15 years...  and, that reduction will involve not just involve gasoline for automobiles but for all the byproducts of oil...   it will involve education, marketing, and changing industries related to the gasoline industry...  like airplanes, buses, trains, NASCAR, boats, yachts, cruise ships, etc.

And...  if we are doing this because of GLOBAL WARMING...  our contribution won't mean a damn thing unless the rest of the world follows our example....  and, even if they agree to follow our example, will they we able to END EVERYTHING related to gasoline by 1935?