Gas-powered cars, light trucks, and SUVs are on the rise in Oregon.
Policymakers at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on Monday passed a rule banning the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in Oregon by 2035.
The effort comes as Oregon aims to cut climate-warming emissions by 50% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. The transportation sector is responsible for nearly 40 percent of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the largest source of pollution in the United States
The new rule, based on vehicle emissions standards passed by California in August, requires automakers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles — electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles — as part of their overall sales , starting at 35 percent in 2026 and increasing to 100 percent by 2035.
The rule allows for the sale of plug-in hybrid vehicles that run primarily on electricity but may also run on gas to provide flexibility for Oregon residents, particularly in rural areas with fewer charging stations.
The ban on gas cars will not affect cars already on the road and will not require Oregon residents to stop buying gas-powered vehicles. Used gas-powered cars continue to be offered for sale within the state. Customers who want a new car that runs on gasoline will have to shop out of state.
But more than a dozen countries want to follow suit. Oregon will be the third state to adopt the standard. Vermont and Washington have just introduced a similar standard. The Clean Air Act allows Oregon and other states to either follow federal vehicle emissions standards or conform to California’s stricter regulations.
The new rule also requires manufacturers to increase access to affordable zero-emission vehicles for low-income households and communities of color. It incentivizes manufacturers to sell electric cars to municipal car-sharing programs, produce lower-cost zero-emission cars, and ship used electric cars to dealers participating in low-income assistance programs.
“These rules are a support mechanism, they are not the driving force. You would send a signal in Oregon: bring your zero-emission cars here, bring the infrastructure and for the grid, get it done,” said Leah Feldon, interim director of the Department of Environmental Quality.
The Environmental Quality Commission, which oversees the department, voted to approve the rule at a special meeting. The commissioners changed the rule to include more frequent check-ins beginning in 2028 to evaluate the program.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to embark on a strategic and fairer path,” said Commissioner Amyschlusser. “If we don’t adopt the rule, the system will still electrify. We just won’t have the same options and we won’t strategically proactively upgrade the network.”
Commissioner Greg Addington, who voted against adopting the rule, acknowledged that many Oregon residents, particularly in rural parts of the state, do not support the rule and do not have access to EV charging.
“There’s a lot of people in the state who don’t understand where this is going,” Addington said.
The new requirements will help Oregon meet its goals, passed by lawmakers in 2019, of at least 90% of new vehicles sold annually to be zero-emissions by 2035. These targets came without consequences, while the newly adopted rule includes penalties for manufacturers for non-compliance.
“By providing regulatory certainty for manufacturers, EV charging providers and utilities, a clear path is paved for the future of zero-emission cars and trucks in Oregon,” said Rachel Sakata, senior air quality planner at the Department of Environmental Quality.
It will be some time before Oregonians have retired all of their gas-powered cars. By 2035, about half of the passenger vehicles on Oregon’s roads will still be gas-powered, Sakata said. In order to limit their pollution, the rule provides for stricter emission standards for the other petrol cars.
To ensure electric cars are durable and a worthy replacement for gas-powered ones, the new regulation requires electric vehicles to meet certain technical requirements, including a minimum range of 150 miles, a parts and battery warranty, and fast-charging capability, among others.
The Environmental Quality Commission received more than 700 comments on the rule. Five hundred of them supported, Sakata said.
Oregonians who opposed the rule during the public statement cited the cost of electric cars and the lack of charging stations. Sakata said the new standard will expand the market for new and used zero-emission vehicles and lower prices. She also said the upfront costs would be offset by lower operating and maintenance costs.
Low- and middle-income Oregonians are eligible for discounts when purchasing electric cars.
Oregon has over 2,000 public and private electric vehicle charging stations across the state, and more will be built in the next few years, Sakata said. She said she expects infrastructure to grow and that grid capacity will be sufficient to meet additional electricity demand from expanded electric car sales.
Ministry officials also said that for the time being, the electricity that powers electric vehicles will still be generated primarily from fossil fuels, including coal, but utilities are switching to cleaner sources such as wind, solar and hydropower.
House Bill 2021 requires the state’s private utilities — Portland General Electric and Pacific Power — to achieve zero emissions by 2040 and bans any expansion or new construction of power plants in Oregon.
– Gosia Wozniacka; [email protected]; @gosiawozniacka
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