Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH), John Joyce (R-PA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced legislation – the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act – to protect Americans’ freedom of choice when purchasing vehicles. The legislation would reject California’s request for a Clean Air Act (CAA) waiver to require 35 percent of all new light-duty vehicle sales to be electrified by 2026, followed by a 100 percent requirement by 2035 in the state. This means that by 2035, automakers would be prohibited from selling new vehicles that contain conventional internal combustion engines (ICEs). “The Energy Marketers of America (EMA) is concerned with California’s CAA waiver request because it would limit consumer choice on cleaner greener ICEs, increase Americans’ utility bills to subsidize a massive expansion of the electric grid for EV charging and threaten the viability and jobs of small business energy marketers around the country, whether they deliver gasoline and diesel or renewable fuels like ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel,” said EMA President Rob Underwood.
Every American will be impacted by this ban, whether they are in one of the 17 states that copies California vehicle laws or whether they are a consumer looking to buy an affordable new pickup truck in the next few years. This would constitute 40 percent of the entire nation’s new car sales. The Preserving Choice in Vehicles Purchases Act would restrict the EPA from issuing any waiver for new regulations that would ban the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines. Preserving consumer choice is critical to maintaining competition in the automotive markets and ensuring all Americans have access to reliable, clean and affordable vehicles.