By 2035, all new cars and trucks sold in New York will have zero emissions
ALBANY — By 2035, all new cars and trucks sold in New York will have zero emissions, the state Department of Environmental Protection said.
New York became the latest state to adopt the Advanced Clean Car II regulations. According to lawmakers, the move would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide significant benefits to air quality and health across the state, especially in low-income communities burdened by traffic-related pollution.
The state is investing more than $1 billion in zero-emission vehicles in all weight categories over the next five years so that 100 percent of vehicle sales are fully electric by 2035. It is planned to increase the share of passenger cars. car sales must be zero-emissions every year, starting at 35 percent in 2026.
In addition to reducing ozone levels and related health issues for disadvantaged communities near high-traffic transit routes, the plan aims to promote sustainable development and renewable energy.
The rules include revised pollutant standards for passenger cars, light trucks and medium-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines built between 2026 and 2034, which is meant to provide flexibility for manufacturers.
Adoption of Advanced Clean Cars II, which has been in the works since the climate plan passed in 2019, will help the state meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, as required by the Climate Act.
The rulemaking comes just a year after the state passed the Advanced Clean Trucks Ordinance, which will increase the number of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty models available for purchase.
The state also adopted California’s Heavy-Duty Low Nitrogen Oxide Omnibus and Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas standards, which require medium- and heavy-duty engine manufacturers to sell cleaner vehicles, such as heavy-duty trucks, that meet the new greenhouse gas emissions standards.
Climate Action Council co-chair Doreen Harris says using cleaner vehicles also gives consumers more choice in the type of vehicle they drive. “As the electrification of vehicles advances, we are also raising the bar for energy-efficient appliances with new standards that mandate the use of the latest energy-saving technologies and features in products,” said Harris, NYSERDA’s president and CEO.
To expand the use of electric vehicles, the state will launch initiatives including rebates for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles through NYSERDA.
The state will also adopt the Expanded Building Code, Appliance and Equipment Performance Standards Act of 2022, beginning Jan. 1, to set minimum energy and water efficiency requirements for residential and commercial products. The plan would phase out inefficient and wasteful products to save more than 25 billion gallons of water a year by 2035, according to state officials.