Dead phone batteries during emergencies are annoying—but losing your choice of what car to buy is permanent. California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulation doesn’t ban your current gasoline vehicle, but it fundamentally alters what you’ll find on dealer lots starting in 2026. By 2035, every new passenger car sold in the Golden State must be electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen-powered.
The Regulation Targets Dealers, Not Driveways
Your current car stays put, but automakers face escalating zero-emission quotas.
The mandate operates through sales requirements, not ownership restrictions. Automakers must hit specific targets:
- 35% of new vehicles must be zero-emission by 2026
- 68% by 2030
- 100% by 2035
Miss these quotas? Companies face significant fines.
Your Honda Civic isn’t getting confiscated, but finding a new gasoline-only replacement becomes impossible once dealers exhaust existing inventory. The regulation received EPA waiver approval in March 2023, cementing California’s authority to enforce stricter standards than federal requirements.
Twelve States Follow California’s Lead
National automakers prefer uniform standards over state-by-state vehicle variants.
Exactly twelve states plus Washington D.C. are adopting similar zero-emission mandates, according to Atlas EV Hub tracking. This creates a domino effect: rather than designing separate vehicle lineups for different regions, major automakers like GM and Ford are aligning their entire U.S. strategies with California’s timeline.
When nearly half the country shares the same rules, manufacturers find it easier to go all-electric nationwide than maintain parallel combustion and electric production lines.
Choice Narrows as Health Benefits Multiply
Future car shoppers face fewer powertrain options but cleaner air.
California estimates $12 billion in health-related benefits from reduced vehicle pollution, including fewer premature deaths and asthma attacks, according to the California Air Resources Board’s analysis. The state projects this will prevent thousands of hospitalizations and lost workdays caused by vehicle emissions.
Critics counter that eliminating new gasoline vehicles restricts consumer choice and may burden rural buyers with inadequate charging infrastructure. EV prices continue falling, but upfront costs often remain higher than comparable gasoline models.
The transition resembles how streaming killed physical media—convenient for many, but limiting options for others who preferred the old format. Your driving habits and charging access will determine whether this shift feels like progress or constraint.
