It looks like Washington is headed for an electric future as it is pushing to become the third US state to set a date for end of ICE vehicles. The state House Transportation Committee has voted 17-12 to advance a bill that will require all light-duty vehicles of model year 2030 and later registered in the state to be electric.
The proposed bills called HB 1204/SB 5256, or Clean Cars 2030, are currently being considered by committees and would allow only pure EVs and fuel cell vehicles to be sold. It would also apply to light-duty vehicles that weigh under 10,000 pounds. Emergency vehicles and motorcycles are not included.
So far two other US states have put an expiration date on the sale of ICE vehicles. Last September, California set a 2035 timeline for the ban on gas powered-vehicles, and Massachusetts later joined the Golden State in its goals. However, with a 15 year gap between now and the implementation of the bill, the people responsible for approving it will likely be out of office.
The fact that Washington’s deadline is five years earlier than both California and Massachusetts’ makes a huge difference on the scale of significance. Less than a decade from now, a model-year 2030 vehicle would be just getting ready to launch, making the States goal that much more realistic. With the passing of this bill, we hope to see even more states hop on board and follow Washington’s timeline. Perhaps even one up it.
Some nations have proposed earlier bans, however, 2030 seems to be the consensus as much of Europe is aiming for then. Asia is on board as well, although plans from China and Japan still include gas-powered conventional hybrids and are set closer to 2035.
Either way, facts are facts and the electric revolution seems to be upon us. By 2030, its likely people won’t even want to buy a ICE vehicle as the absence of gas stations will make them far less convenient, and we as a people will (hopefully) be more aware of our carbon footprint as a whole.