US Senate Halts California's 2035 Ban on Gasoline-Powered Vehicles: Is Trump Forcefully Restarting the "Era of Gasoline Cars"?

On Thursday (May 22) local time, the US Senate blocked California's plan to completely ban the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035 with a vote of 51 in favor and 44 against, and sent the bill to Trump for signature.

Specifically, the vote overturned an exemption approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the Biden administration, which allowed California to set stricter automobile exhaust emission standards than federal regulations to promote the sale of EVs and other zero-emission vehicles.

The US introduced the Clean Air Act in 1970, initially to help California address severe smog issues. However, it gave California a leading role in formulating environmental protection policies, and the standards set by the state were widely adopted by multiple states willing to follow suit, such as New York and Washington.

However, California's "ban on internal combustion engines" regulation has sparked strong opposition from automakers, fuel producers, and even Trump himself. Opponents include Toyota, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), and the US Chamber of Commerce, who argue that these standards are "simply unattainable."

Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia stated, "Over the past two decades, California has used its exemption to impose extreme climate policies on the entire nation, which is not the original intent of the Clean Air Act."

Capito pointed out, "The decision to limit consumer choices, raise car prices, and cause the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs was made by California and approved by a federal government that has already been rejected by US voters."

Earlier this month, the bill had already passed the House of Representatives. Since his campaign last year, Trump has repeatedly criticized the EV industry, claiming that EVs are "completely useless," benefit other countries, and harm American workers.

However, some analysts believe that the EPA exemption is not subject to repeal through the Congressional Review Act (CRA) procedure currently used by Republicans. Democrats argue that Republicans have adopted controversial procedural tactics that could set a dangerous precedent.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated, "This is the 'nuclear option.' It allows Republicans to hijack Senate rules and gradually erode the institution they claim to value."

Manish Bapna, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in the US, said, "This vote is an unprecedented and extremely reckless attack on states' legal efforts to address air pollution."

Bapna added, "Under the influence of multi-million-dollar lobbying efforts by 'Big Oil,' Republicans have easily abandoned their long-held stance of allowing states to independently formulate policies based on the values and interests of their residents."