GOP Governor Youngkin Puts Brakes On California's EV Mandate, Calls It 'Uneconomic That Take Away Consumer Decision Authority'

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) expressed his disapproval of California’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate after the state opted out of it.

What Happened: Youngkin declared the termination of the California electric vehicle mandate in Virginia, effective from the end of 2024. This decision follows the expiration of California’s current regulations.

During CNBC’s “Last Call” on Thursday, he stated, "This isn’t a comment around electric vehicles. If you want to buy an electric vehicle, then please do. It's a comment around mandates that are uneconomic, that take away consumer decision authority.”

Youngkin added that the mandate also drives the country to the “stranglehold” of the Chinese companies that dominate the EV battery supply chain. This, he believes, compromises the national security.

“Mandates like these do nothing other than force Virginians and Americans to support economically the Chinese Communist Party,” he said.

See Also: Nvidia Emails Reveal Musk’s GPU Shuffle: What’s At Stake For Tesla’s AI, Robotics Future

Why It Matters: According to the press release from Youngkin’s office, Virginia is not obligated to adhere to the new mandates set by the unelected California Air Resources Board (CARB), which are scheduled to come into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. This is in response to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopting “Advanced Clean Cars II,” which would require 100% of new cars sold in Model Year 2035 to be electric vehicles. Attorney General Jason Miyares has confirmed that Virginia is not required to follow ACC II, and will instead adhere to federal emissions standards on Jan. 1, 2025.

California’s EV mandate has been a contentious issue, with the EPA recently upholding its authority to grant environmental waivers to the state. This decision was a blow to the 17 states that sued to block California’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule, which aims to achieve a fully zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) fleet in California by the mid-2040s.

Read Next: Ron Baron Backs Elon Musk’s $56B Pay Package: ‘Tesla Is Better With Elon’

Image: Unsplash/ Ernest Ojeh 

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari