It so happened that the state of California sets the trends in some legislative initiatives for many other administrative and territorial units of America. This time, state regulators are planning what the governor has called the beginning of the end for the internal combustion engine.

The regulator plans to ban the sale of cars with internal combustion engines until 2035. A similar decision in California is expected to be followed by at least 10 other states, which usually follow suit in similar cases. It should also greatly accelerate the transition to electric cars and, as a result, reduce harmful emissions.

Moreover, in its current form, the law provides for intermediate goals: by 2026, 35% of sold passenger cars must have zero emissions, and by 2030 – 68%.

It should also stimulate car manufacturers to accelerate the pace of the development of electric cars. But there will be additional steps, as John Bozzella, president of the Automotive Innovation Alliance, rightly noted: “Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directly linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage.”

Critics of the initiative point out that the prices of electric cars are significantly higher than similar cars with traditional engines. At the same time, they are interested in how exactly it is planned to ensure the additional load on the energy system.

But the new initiative is in line with the large-scale climate legislation President Biden signed into law last week. The changes are expected to allow the US to reduce harmful emissions by 40% compared to 2005 levels by the end of this decade, as transportation is the main source of greenhouse gases.

The signed law also provides for investments of $370 billion in the development of the clean energy program and is the largest measure of the federal government in the fight against climate change.

Of course, this alone will not be enough. But not only the USA plans to introduce a ban on the sale of cars with internal combustion engines. Canada, the United Kingdom and a number of European countries are also implementing similar restrictions between 2030 and 2040.