In this Dec. 10, 2014, file photo, a banner hangs on an overpass on Interstate 395 advertising the new I-95 Express Lanes in Alexandria, Va. If California wants to drive its state into an economic ditch with a senseless ban on gasoline-powered vehicles, so be it. But it’s time for Virginia to stop riding shotgun.
But in 2022 California toughened its rules. The new ones set to kick in this Jan. 1 require that 22% of all new vehicles sold by the end of 2025 be electric-powered, with the percentage increasing until, by 2035, no new cars, trucks, or SUVs could be powered by gasoline or diesel. California’s other energy policies are also a disaster. Thanks to its very high taxes, stringent regulations, and a low carbon fuel standard, gasoline averages $4.80 a gallon, a full $1.20 more than it does in our region.
Even apart from the vehicle’s cost, the issues are range and convenience. Charging takes time, and public chargers are limited. To extend the life of a battery, EV manufacturers warn users to avoid too much super-charging and to aim to keep the charge between 20% and 80%, effectively reducing the advertised range nearly in half.
One good-faith estimate is that dealers will have to sell three EVs for every gasoline-powered pickup by 2032. It’s easy to imagine those pickups being rationed or auctioned to the highest bidder. And on top of that, EVs are inherently more dangerous on the road, because of their weight and lack of warning noise. One study shows EVs are twice as likely to hit pedestrians.