A significant majority of Californians, across the political spectrum, now oppose Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2020 executive order aimed at banning the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. A survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California between June 29 and July 6 revealed that nearly 66% of adults and likely voters disapprove of the mandate, which Newsom established as a key strategy to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions.
The opposition to the ban has increased since its inception. In 2021, 31% of Democrats opposed the order; that figure has now risen to 50%. Among independents, opposition grew from 56% to 69%. Overall, the percentage of Californians who wish to continue purchasing gas-powered cars has increased by 17 percentage points.
Mark Baldassare, the survey director for the Public Policy Institute of California, attributed the trend to the escalating cost of living in the state. He noted a decline in the number of Californians who seriously consider purchasing an electric vehicle (EV), now around one-third compared to half five years ago.
"If they're not going to do it, and it's something they're going to be asked to be doing over the next few years, then I think that's why people are at odds with the governor's executive order," Baldassare stated. He pointed to the expiration of federal tax credits that previously offered financial incentives, as well as a significant spike in California's electricity prices. "We've got 6 in 10 people who are saying that they feel that utility prices in their part of California are a major problem," he said. "That number has gone up, and the reality is that if you have an electric vehicle, the electricity is not free."
These higher utility rates are partly influenced by the state's broader green agenda, which aims for a carbon-free energy grid by 2045, necessitating infrastructure upgrades that can lead to increased costs for consumers. Wayne Winegarden, an economics fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, echoed the sentiment of affordability challenges. "Families in California are feeling the costs from the state's environmental policies. It's why energy costs so much, contributes to the high cost of housing, and drives up the prices of most other products people buy," Winegarden commented. "Due to this struggle with affordability, Californians seem to be growing more cost sensitive."
Despite California facing high gasoline prices, consumers reportedly find gas pricing more transparent than the complex utility billing structures. Baldassare suggested that the widespread opposition, spanning all political affiliations, should signal to policymakers the need for adjustments or a reconsideration of the policy.
In response to these concerns and to counter expiring federal incentives, Gov. Newsom recently signed legislation introducing a new rebate program. The initiative offers a $3,500 rebate for qualifying new electric vehicles priced at $50,000 or less, and a $1,750 rebate for qualifying used EVs priced at $25,000 or below. Newsom stated on social media that California is "filling the void left by Trump and the GOP repealing the federal electric vehicle tax credit" and asserted, "We won't forfeit the future to China."
According to the California Energy Commission, over 1.25 million EVs are currently registered in the state, representing approximately one in five new vehicle sales in the past year.