In December, both Oregon and Washington adopted rules to require all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in the two states to be zero emission by 2035. Both states copied California’s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rules that phase in increases in zero-emission vehicle sales starting in 2026. Zero Emission Vehicles as defined in these rules include battery-electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles with an electric-only range greater than 50 miles.
Leah Feldon, Interim Director of the Department of Environmental Quality said, “With today’s adoption of the ACC II Rule, all those living in Oregon will benefit from the cleaner air and improved public health outcomes achieved by reducing pollution from transportation.”
In addition to requiring 100% ZEVs for new car sales by 2035, Washington also adopted California’s rules for cleaner heavy-duty internal combustion engines, early-action credits for ZEV sales in model years 2023 and 2024, and a one-time fleet reporting requirement. These rules build on Washington’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including its Clean Fuel Standard and Cap-and-Invest Program that began on January 1, 2023.
Speaking about the newly adopted rules, Laura Watson, Director of the Washington Department of Ecology said that “by targeting transportation – the state’s largest source of harmful greenhouse gas emissions – these standards will make a significant contribution on our path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
