Washington D.C. — CFA enthusiastically supports California taking the leading national role in advancing Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs), as we have for the past decade beginning with California’s Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) program. California’s ambitious goal of having all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California be zero-emission vehicles by 2035 is especially important given the Trump Administration’s rollback of national fuel economy standards despite compelling evidence showing the rollback will increase consumers costs, increase pollution and smog, and make American car companies uncompetitive in the world market.

“Governor Newsom’s decision to go forward with his ZEV goal is even more impressive given the fact that the Trump Administration is attempting to revoke the right of states to adopt a more stringent emissions standard guaranteed under the Clean Air Act since 1975. The Administration completely disregards the will of the fourteen states with 118 million Americans who have chosen to bring cleaner, cost-saving, fuel efficient cars to their communities,” said Jack Gillis, Executive Director of CFA.

For more than ten years, CFA has supported California’s Clean Cars Program and the ability of other states to adopt it. A CFA poll in August 2018 showed a majority of consumers believe that states should be able to lead when the federal government doesn’t and support the ability of states to adopt a higher standard. (ORC, August 2018, 3.1% +/- margin of error.)  “One of the great benefits of American federalism is that individual states can initiate better ways of accomplishing shared goals. The federal government should embrace California’s decision, and support California’s bold step in transitioning by 2035 completely to ZEVs, which due to their immense operating and maintenance cost savings will increasingly become the standard vehicle consumers purchase,” said Gillis.

Contact: Jack Gillis, 202-939-1018