California Bans Purchase of Combustion Engine Cars by State Agencies

California adopted a policy that prohibits state agencies from buying sedans powered by an internal combustion engine, except for certain public safety vehicles, according to a Nov.15 announcement by the Department of General Services. The department is also developing a policy, which will require state agencies, beginning next year, to purchase vehicles from manufacturers that recognize the Air Resources Board’s authority to set auto emission rules and zero emission vehicle standards. The move is the latest salvo in the battle over climate change between the state and the Trump administration, which revoked a 2013 waiver that allowed California to set tougher pollution standards.

The state has launched legal challenges against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and  the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over revocation of the state’s authority to set its own tailpipe pollution limits and zero-emission vehicle standards. The Trump administration acted in September to cancel the waiver as part of a rule establishing nationwide uniform fuel economy and emission standards for automobiles and light duty trucks. More than a dozen states have adopted at least a portion of California’s clean car standards, which are stricter than federal requirements.

The new policy affects General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, Toyota and other automakers that sided with the Trump administration in the ongoing battle over tailpipe pollution rules. In July, the state reached an agreement with Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen to raise the vehicle fuel economy by 3.7 percent year over year between model year 2022 and model year 2026.

California extended its low-carbon fuel standard last September, mandating a 20 percent cut in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 2030, compared with the previous requirement of 10 percent by 2020. The state fleet met and exceeded the 20 percent petroleum reduction goal three years earlier than the 2020 requirement.