Virginia has opted out of a coalition of 17 states that have adopted California’s vehicle emission standards. This means that internal combustion vehicles will not be required to be phased out by the year 2035 as they will be in California.
“It defies common sense that in 2021 lawmakers decided that instead of writing our own electric vehicle laws, Virginia would simply do whatever California decided to do,” said Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin. “Because lawmakers outsourced their responsibilities and surrendered our values to California, Virginians face a mandate starting in 2024 that limits and eventually bans the buying of gas-powered cars or trucks. Unless we act, Virginia is hostage to the extreme policies of California.”
