Back in September, we shared a story about California’s commendable decision to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Now, following in the footsteps of the Golden State, Massachusetts says it will do the same in a bid to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The move is part of the state’s 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap released by Governor Charlie Baker. The roadmap includes the reduction of emissions from passenger cars which are responsible for 27 percent of statewide emissions. The ultimate goal of the climate plan is to reach net-zero fossil-fuel emissions by 2050.
As part of its initiative to phase out cars powered by internal-combustion engines, the state also plans to expand the public charging infrastructure, accounting for the fact that many people don’t have EV chargers at home.
The push of California and now Massachusetts for cleaner means of transportation could spark the beginning of a trend by states to slowly ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars. In Europe, several countries have already done so as part of their plans to tackle climate change. Meanwhile, the upcoming administration has a plan to accelerate the electrification of vehicles in the US.
