California bans sale of internal combustion vehicles: what does it mean for New Mexico?

UPDATED: This piece has been updated to reflect that New Mexico has not formally committed itself to adopting California’s new rule.

Today, August 25, 2022, the California Air Resources Board, voted to eliminate the sale of internal combustion engines in the State of California by 2035. Here’s an article about the policy and confirmation that they indeed have enacted it.

How does this apply to New Mexico? As RGF discussed in National Review and other news outlets a few months ago, Gov. Lujan Grisham (acting through an unelected board) has ordered New Mexico to follow California’s “clean car” rules. That means, what California does, we may do the same if MLG wishes to stick with California.

California’s rule also mandates 35% of new vehicles sold in 2026 be zero-emission with increasing percentages each year. In New Mexico during the first quarter of 2022 “electric vehicles” accounted for just 3.66% of new vehicle sales.

So, IF Michelle Lujan Grisham were to be reelected and thus keep New Mexico in lockstep with California, the number of EV’s sold in New Mexico will have to grow 10X as a percent of ALL vehicles sold in just four years.