Diana Furchtgott-Roth of the Heritage Foundation reports that Virginia has decided to diverge from California’s stringent zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates, choosing instead to adhere to federal standards. Attorney General Jason Miyares and Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that starting next year, Virginia will not follow California’s Advanced Clean Car II standards, which aim for 35 percent of new vehicles sold to be electric or hydrogen-fueled by 2026 and 100 percent by 2035. This decision marks Virginia as the first of 16 states, plus D.C., to abandon California’s regulations, potentially leading others to follow. The move is seen as beneficial for the state’s economy, which relies on affordable and reliable gasoline-powered vehicles for various industries.
Furchtgott-Roth argues that compulsory EV mandates are impractical and unpopular, citing higher costs, inconvenience, and performance issues in cold weather as barriers to widespread EV adoption. Additionally, she highlights concerns about dependence on China for electric batteries and critical minerals, with 80 percent of the world’s batteries and 60 percent of minerals controlled by China. Economic impacts are also discussed, with car dealers struggling to sell EVs and companies like Ford and Mercedes reconsidering their all-electric goals. Furchtgott-Roth concludes that as long as consumers have a choice, they will likely not purchase EVs in the quantities mandated by California, making Virginia’s departure from these regulations a prudent decision.
