17 states plan to mimic California's ban on gas-powered cars by 2035

17 states are considering adopting California’s ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

Almost immediately after Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom announced the ban, fellow Democratic Governor Jay Inslee announced that Washington state would be following California’s lead.

In 2020, state legislators passed a law linking Washington's vehicle emissions standards to California's and are therefore required to follow the Golden State. California’s restrictions are the strictest in the country, and mandate that all new vehicles run on either electricity or hydrogen by 2035.

Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Vermont and also considering following suit.

However, in Minnesota, the ban is facing severe pushback. The Minnesota Auto Dealers Association is arguing that due to the extreme cold in the state, the ban would be impractical. Scott Lambert, the group’s president told the Associated Press, "The technology is such that the vehicles just don’t perform that well in cold weather. We don’t all live in southern California."

After California announced the ban, unlike Inslee who followed in lockstep, Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called the legislation "ridiculous" and announced that he is working to sever the ties that would require Virginia to follow California’s path.

Youngkin wrote in a statement on Twitter, "In an effort to turn Virginia into California, liberal politicians who previously ran our government sold Virginia out by subjecting Virginia drivers to California vehicle laws. Now, under that pact, Virginians will be forced to adopt the California law that prohibits the sale of gas and diesel-fueled vehicles."

In 2021, Democrats in Virginia’s legislature and governor’s office passed legislation tying itself to California's standards in 2021.

Younkin added, "I am already at work to prevent this ridiculous edict from being forced on Virginians. California’s out of touch laws have no place in our Commonwealth."

Colorado is also pushing back on the ban. The Colorado Energy Office told the AP, "While the governor shares the goal of rapidly moving towards electric vehicles, he is skeptical about requiring 100 percent% of cars sold to be electric by a certain date as technology is rapidly changing."

Other states that follow California’s standards include: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island as well as Washington, DC.