March 2020 Gasoline Phaseout News
Washington Legislature Passes Zero Emissions Vehicle Bill
___________
On March 9, the Washington State Senate joined the House in passing SB 5811, legislation which enables Washington to require automakers to stock a certain percentage of zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) at dealerships within the state. Gov. Inslee strongly supports the legislation and is expected to sign it shortly.
Washington will now become the 12th state after California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont to apply ZEV requirements to automakers. These states comprise more than one-third of the total U.S. auto market.
The ZEV program requires that in 2020, about 3% of all new cars sold in the state be zero emissions vehicles (mostly EVs), rising to about 8% by 2025.
The measure, championed in the Senate by Sen. Joe Nguyen and in the House by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, will accelerate the introduction of new and more electric vehicle models in Washington, and it will incentivize manufacturers to advertise and stock electric vehicles, and increase volumes of EV sales.
