Washington, Oregon Join California in Requiring All New Vehicle Sales to be EVs by 2035
On Monday, Washington and Oregon officially joined California in requiring that all new vehicles sold in the states are zero-emitting by 2035.
The rule covers passenger cars, light-duty vehicles, and medium-duty vehicles such as larger pick-up trucks and SUVs. It does not apply to used vehicles.
The mandate kicks in gradually. It starts with model year 2026, requiring that 35% of new passenger vehicle sales are EVs. Then it increases by 6-to-9% each year until all vehicles covered by the rule must be zero emissions. Qualifying vehicles can be EV, solar-powered, or plug-in hybrid vehicles if they can cover at least 50 miles on battery power.
The EV Tax Credit Rules are Being Delayed Until March 2023 — Here’s What That Means For You
The Department of the Treasury announced that decisions around some aspects of the EV tax credits will be delayed until March. By delaying rules around where battery minerals are sourced but allowing other rules to go into effect on January 1st, the Treasury Department has created an interesting situation for several North American-built EVs.
Under the new rules, several EVs will now remain eligible for the full EV tax credit of $7,500 for the first few months of 2023 and possibly longer. The big winners (for now) are North American-built EV sedans and smaller cars that start under $55,000 and SUVs and trucks that start under $80,000.
Ford, Nissan, Rivian, and Volkswagen’s North American-built EVs are also now eligible for the full tax credit come January 1st, regardless of where their batteries are sourced. Hyundai and Kia, for example, are excluded because their EVs are built in South Korea.
Odometer Rollback Is on the Rise
Consumers may think that odometers in the digital age are less of a target for fraud – but they’d be wrong. For cheaters, it’s never been easier – or cheaper – to remove thousands of miles from a car’s history in one fell swoop.
Whether you have an older vehicle with a mechanical odometer or a newer car with a digital odometer, the threat of false odometer readings remains. Carfax research indicates that more than 1.9 million vehicles on the road have rolled-back odometers, a 7% increase from the previous year.
“Many people think odometer fraud disappeared with the invention of digital odometers,” said Emilie Voss, Public Relations Director for CARFAX. “But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re still seeing the number of vehicles on the road with a rolled-back odometer rise year-over-year.”
NHTSA Reminds Holiday Revelers to Drive Sober
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is kicking off its annual holiday season impaired-driving campaign, raising awareness of the dangers of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Making a plan for a safe, sober ride home is critical to saving lives this holiday season,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson. “I urge everyone to do their part to end these preventable tragedies by always driving sober, designating a sober driver, using public transportation or calling a taxi or ride-hailing service.”
To continue to educate drivers throughout the holiday season, NHTSA will be promoting the following messages: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different; Drive High, Get a DUI.
Winter Is Back, but Don’t Idle Your Car
As the weather gets colder across the U.S., more people are likely letting their car "warm up" for a few minutes before they get in and drive. It doesn't make sense from a technological standpoint, and it may be illegal where you live.
The general rule - as has been true for years - is that there's little real benefit to letting your car warm up before you start driving. We've been struggling to learn this lesson.
There was a time, when carburetors ruled the earth, that idling a cold car was a useful idea, but this is not true today. A modern car heats up in about 30 seconds once you start moving, making a five-minute warmup really just an exercise in wasting emissions.
