Rhode Island will join seven other states in adopting a policy aimed at reducing carbon pollution from vehicle tailpipe emissions.
“The Act on Climate put us on the clock for meeting major carbon reduction mandates, and it’s clear to me that Rhode Island will only meet the mandates by addressing the transportation sector head-on,” Gov. Dan McKee said. “Implementing the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks policy will help us do exactly that, minimize smog across the state but especially in environmental justice communities, and ensure adequate customer choice on electric vehicles in the future.”
Advanced Clean Cars II is a set of regulations adopted to reduce smog-causing pollution and GHG emissions from the light-duty vehicle fleet. It originated in the California Air Resources Board.
The regulations require zero emission vehicle sales increase from 35 percent in 2026 to 100 percent in 2035. Eligible vehicles include battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The Act on Climate mandates that Rhode Island achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2050.
The McKee Administration’s Department of Environmental Management recently filed regulations that would require all new cars imported into Rhode Island for sale be non-gas powered by 2035.