The state will give you a $2,000 rebate for buying an emissions-free car.
In late August, California successfully passed the Clean Cars II Act, which bans the sale of all ICE cars by 2035. The new regulations will arrive in phases, with 35% of all vehicles having to be 100% tailpipe emissions-free by 2026. This will increase to 51% in 2028, 68% in 2030, and then finally 100% in 2035.
California's emissions regulations have been the blueprint used by many states in the past. As we predicted, other states will likely follow in California's footsteps, and New York recently became the first to do so. It's worth stating that New York still has to go through various steps and that it's nothing more than a statement of intent at this stage.
Governor Kathy Hochul commemorated the recent National Drive Electric Week by instructing the state's Department of Environmental Conservation to take the necessary steps to go to zero emissions by 2035.
"New York is a national climate leader and an economic powerhouse, and we're using our strength to help spur innovation and implementation of zero-emission vehicles on a grand scale," Governor Hochul said. "With sustained state and federal investments, our actions are incentivizing New Yorkers, local governments, and businesses to make the transition to electric vehicles. We're driving New York's transition to clean transportation forward, and today's announcement will benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come."
New York already has regulations to go emissions-free by 2035, and the new regulations will build on that. Crucially, they will mimic the timeline set for California.
New pollutant standards for model years 2026 to 2034 passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines would also be required.
According to the Governor, reducing emissions will provide significant air quality benefits to many of New York's disadvantaged communities. These disadvantaged communities, which include low-income Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, are often located next to transit routes with heavy traffic, where pollution is at its highest.
"Governor Hochul is demonstrating her sustained commitment to the successful implementation of the Climate Act and ensuring all New Yorkers benefit from the State's actions to address climate change. DEC will continue to work under her direction to rapidly issue this regulation and reach another milestone in the transition from fossil fuels so that more people, businesses, and governments will have the ZEV options to meet their needs and help improve the health of their communities," said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair, Basil Seggos.
To achieve this goal, New York will spend more than $1 billion on various initiatives, including purchase rebates and charging infrastructure grants. The state is also putting aside $5.75 million to purchase or lease government fleet vehicles and to install electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fueling stations. The New York City Police Department was one of the first to incorporate a fleet of Ford Mustang Mach-Es into its existing vehicle fleet.
A further $10 million has been set aside to provide point-of-sale rebates of $2,000, which can be coupled with the $7,500 rebate from the federal government thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. In theory, a New Yorker will be able to get $9,500 from the state and federal government when buying a Nissan Leaf, which would take the price of the base model down to roughly $20,000.
The Department of Environmental Conservation will now rapidly start the process of adopting the new format set by California, which includes stakeholder outreach, a public comment period, and public hearings later this year.
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Automobili Pininfarina
Bentley
BMW
Bollinger
BrightDrop
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
Fiat
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Gordon Murray Automotive
Hennessey
Honda
Hyundai
Ineos Automotive
Infiniti
Jaguar
Jeep
Karma
Kia
Koenigsegg
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lordstown
Lotus
Lucid Motors
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
Mini
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Pagani
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rimac
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Spyker
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
Join The Discussion