Connecticut is the latest state to commit to zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

Connecticut is set to become the latest state to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Proposed state legislation would compel Connecticut auto dealerships to begin selling more zero- or low-emission vehicles, such as passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks, beginning in 2027 and continuing until the new mandate takes effect in 2035. Increasing percentages of electric medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles, such as dump trucks, must also be sold in the state by 2032, depending on the vehicle class. The idea was included in a broad law passed in 2022 that adopted California’s clean air requirements for certain vehicles in a bid to cut automobile emissions. Last July, California air regulators passed legislation mandating that all new vehicles, pickup trucks, and SUVs be electric or hydrogen by 2035.

“I think we’re doing it smart,” Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said last week at a Toyota dealership news conference. He stated that he had spoken with the “auto guys” about the projected 2035 deadline and inquired whether Connecticut was going too quickly. “They say, ‘keep your foot on the gas.'” by that I mean “ensure we have a clear understanding that Connecticut is not alone, that it will be one of the states where it will be all-electric (in) 2023.” That makes designing and building vehicles easier for us’,” Lamont explained. Connecticut has announced plans to implement the new criteria, joining Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey, and New Mexico. The guidelines were finalised this year or in late 2022 in Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont.