Former US President and Republican presidential candidate for 2024, Donald Trump, expressed on Thursday (October 3) that if reelected in November, he would not allow any state to ban the use of gasoline-powered cars or trucks. Trump is making the future of the auto industry a key campaign issue.
According to Reuters, Trump is working hard to win votes in Michigan, as it is one of the crucial swing states for the 2024 presidential election and is also home to the Big Three automakers in Detroit. The former president had told Reuters in August that he was considering ending the Biden administration’s electric vehicle tax credit policy.
During a rally in Saginaw, Michigan on Thursday, Trump stated, “If I’m president, no state in the United States will be allowed to ban gasoline-powered cars or trucks, I guarantee you – no way.”
“You’ll be making them right here,” he added.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign team did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
In May 2023, California submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act, seeking that all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 must be either electric or plug-in hybrid cars.
In August 2022, California approved a landmark plan to halt the sale of pure gasoline cars in the state by 2035.
The state aims to gradually increase the proportion of zero-emission vehicles starting in 2026. Eleven other states have also adopted this requirement.
The Biden administration has repeatedly rejected setting a date to phase out the sale of pure gasoline cars but has provided billions of dollars in new tax credits and funding to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.
President Biden aims for 50% of new vehicles in the US to be electric by 2030 and emphasizes its importance in competing with China.
In March this year, the EPA finalized federal rules requiring a 49% decrease in car tailpipe emissions by 2032 compared to 2026. The agency predicts that between 2030 and 2032, 35% to 56% of new vehicles will need to be electric to meet stringent emissions limits.
Automakers have raised concerns about California’s plan, stating that while it may be feasible for California, the outlook for other states with significantly lower electric vehicle sales is “highly uncertain.”