The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted to block California’s plan to phase out the sale of new gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, a move that challenges a key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waiver underpinning the state’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate.
The legislation seeks to overturn a waiver granted by the EPA in December under former President Joe Biden, which allowed California to require that at least 80% of new vehicles sold by 2035 be electric. That rule, which has been adopted by 11 other states including New York and Oregon, covers about 40% of the U.S. auto market.
Automakers have voiced concern about the feasibility of meeting California’s targets. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing companies such as General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and Hyundai, argued the mandate could disrupt manufacturing and jobs. “It’s a welcome – and targeted – action by the House to prevent the inevitable jobs and manufacturing fallout from these unachievable regulations,” said the group’s CEO John Bozzella.
California officials, however, defended the mandate, describing it as critical to reducing pollution and ensuring U.S. competitiveness in the global EV market. “Big polluters and the right-wing propaganda machine have succeeded in buying off the Republican Party,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in response to the vote.
The House also passed a separate measure on Wednesday to rescind EPA waivers supporting California’s regulations on heavy-duty and off-road vehicle emissions, including its “Omnibus” low-NOx standards. Legal questions remain about whether Congress has the authority to revoke EPA waivers via the Congressional Review Act. The Government Accountability Office stated in March that such waivers cannot be repealed under the CRA framework.
California’s current rules require 35% of light-duty vehicles sold in model year 2026 to be zero-emission, a number automakers say far outpaces current EV demand in several states. The state aims for EVs to comprise 68% of new vehicle sales by 2030.
In a parallel move, the U.S. Transportation Department is also reviewing Biden-era fuel economy regulations, potentially signaling a broader federal shift in vehicle emissions policy.