Washington State Legislature Passes 2030 Target for Phasing Out Sales of New Gasoline Vehicles

Supported by Coltura, the country’s most ambitious gas car phaseout target will usher in the clean vehicle era

The Washington legislature voted to set a target for ending the sales of gasoline-powered cars by 2030 – the most aggressive goal in the U.S. and five years ahead of California’s 2035 target. The measure, passed as part of the $16.9 billion “Move Ahead Washington” transportation package, now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for signature.

Clean Cars 2030 will:

• Put Washington on the road to powering its vehicles with locally-produced electricity that is cleaner and cheaper than gasoline.
• Spur a comprehensive planning process for Washington to get ready for 100% vehicle electrification.
• Clarify for local governments, automakers, charging companies, utilities, investors, landlords, and workplaces the direction of the state’s EV market.
• Incentivize private-sector investment in new EVs and charging stations. 
• Increase opportunities for Washingtonians to save money on gasoline.
• Reduce the cost and uncertainty of dependence on foreign sources of oil.
• Reduce carbon emissions and air pollution and the threat they pose to air, water, and health. 

A coalition led by Coltura, a nonprofit focused on phasing out the use of gasoline, spearheaded the campaign that led to the passage of the measure.

“With the passage of Clean Cars 2030, the era of gasoline-powered cars now has an end date in Washington,” said Matthew Metz, founder and co-executive director of Coltura. “Clean Cars 2030 sets Washington on a nation-leading path toward a fully-electric automotive future. We applaud Senator Marko Liias and Representative Jake Fey for their leadership on Move Ahead Washington as well as the many other legislators who made history with their votes.”

“Passing Clean Cars 2030 will create a clear path forward for the future of the electric vehicle transition in our state,” said Sen. Liias. “This part of our Move Ahead Washington plan will create a timeline with the data, tools, and guidelines that every sector from governments to businesses can plan for with confidence. This is a monumental step towards reducing our carbon emissions in Washington, and I’m proud that our state is once again a leader in addressing the climate crisis.”

“Today’s vote builds on our incredible track record here in Washington leading on big climate issues,” said Representative Nicole Macri, who first introduced the measure in 2020. “Clean Cars 2030 puts Washington on the road to powering its vehicles with cheap, clean, renewable electricity produced in-state and reduces the threat that oil and gasoline pose to our air, water, health, and economy.”

Research commissioned by Coltura and conducted by Yale University, George Mason University, and Climate Nexus found 55 percent of voters nationally support a full phaseout of gasoline cars starting in 2030. Bolstered by its success in Washington, Coltura is leading coalitions working to pass similar Clean Cars 2030 measures in other states. Earlier this week a Clean Cars 2030 bill was introduced in the Rhode Island legislature.

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