(The Center Square) — A coalition of New York business groups are calling on the Hochul administration to put the brakes on the state’s California-inspired rule banning sales of gas-powered vehicles by 2030, saying the mandate will cost jobs and drive up consumer costs.
In a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the groups said New York’s embrace of California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule — requiring 35% of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2026 — is “incongruent with infrastructure readiness, consumer demand, and economic conditions.”
“If left unchanged, this rule will drive up costs, disrupt supply chains, and push both businesses and consumers into difficult choices,” they wrote. “The reality is that market-driven EV adoption is happening, but at a pace that reflects consumer demand and infrastructure capacity — not on a difficult regulatory timeline.”
The coalition, which includes the New York State Economic Development Council and Business Council of New York State, said fewer than 10% of new vehicles sold in New York are electric. Under the mandate, that number would need to jump to 35% within a year — which the coalition called an “unprecedented shift we have no reason to believe is feasible.”
But the mandate would also hurt New York car dealerships, they said, who would be forced to stock vehicles that consumers aren’t prepared to buy, “tying up capital and creating inventory challenges that threaten their financial stability.”
“New York should focus on policies that encourage voluntary EV adoption by expanding charging networks, improving grid capacity, and supporting technological advancements that make EVs a practical choice for more consumers,” they wrote. “The state can lead a balanced, forward-thinking transition — one that doesn’t force businesses and consumers into difficult and costly decisions.”
The rules require car, truck and SUV manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles, with an ambitious goal of phasing out most fossil-fuel powered internal combustion vehicles by 2030.
More than a dozen states — including New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey — have formally adopted California’s stringent vehicle emissions standards. They’ve been prodded by environmental groups who want to accelerate a nationwide shift to electric vehicles to help blunt the impact of climate change.
Several states, including Maryland and Massachusetts, have decided to delay enforcement of the e-vehicle sales mandate, with the rules outpacing market demand and the infrastructure needed to operate the vehicles.
Of states that are following California’s ban, none have come close to meeting ACCII’s 2026 target of 35% combined EV, fuel cell and PHEV sales, according to federal data. In 2023, “ZEV” sales among automakers were just 13% in California. The data shows that they were lower in other states.
Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry is calling on the Trump administration and lawmakers to put the brakes on California’s ban on sales of new gas, diesel and traditional hybrid vehicles.
The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers has launched a new ad campaign — “Don’t California our cars” — urging Congress to overturn the EPA’s 2024 rule authorizing California’s tough restrictions.
“California’s ban on sales of new gas, diesel and traditional hybrid vehicles is unlawful and will impact our entire country,” AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson said in a statement. “If allowed to stand, millions of Americans will lose the ability to buy the car or truck of their choosing, and all of us will pay a price for this policy in the form of more expensive vehicles, higher electricity costs and compromised U.S. energy security.”
