AFP-VA Applauds Governor Announcement that Virginia will Exit California Electric Vehicle Mandate
Richmond, VA – Today, AFP-VA applauded Governor Youngkin’s announcement that, effective at the end of 2024, the California electric vehicle mandate in Virginia will end.
AFP-VA State Director Matt Davison released the following statement:
“While electric vehicles are one of many options, they should not be the mandatory vehicle for consumers. As folks struggle with the ever-increasing costs of new cars, eliminating affordable internal combustion vehicles from the market is a step in the wrong direction.
“Consumers and families should be the decision makers on what vehicle is best for their families. We applaud the Governor’s announcement that Virginia will exit the California electric vehicle mandate, allowing Virginians to determine which type of vehicle they drive.
“Robbing Virginians of their decision rights and handing them over to California bureaucrats and lawmakers is reprehensible, and today’s announcement is a relief for every Virginian trying to secure transportation for themselves and their families.”
Background:
Attorney General Jason Miyares released an opinion, announced by Governor Youngkin, that at the end of 2024 Virginia is no longer legally bound to follow the emission standards of California (Advanced Clean Cars II). These regulations required that only zero-emission vehicles be sold by 2035. AFP-VA has fought hard for consumer decision rights in opposition to EV mandates, hosting countless events across the Commonwealth, and lobbying to restore consumer choices in the General Assembly. A Mason-Dixon poll from January showed only 30% of Virginians support an EV mandate – while 60% of Virginians wanted the law repealed outright.
