President Trump struck a win for the ethanol industry and corn growers last week when he signed a Congressional resolution to rescind California’s electric vehicle mandate. California vows to sue the Trump Administration. But for now, a Biden-era waiver that allowed the state to phase out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 has been rescinded.
President Trump signed the Congressional measure ending the California ban and that of 11 other states and D.C. that followed California.
“You couldn’t buy any other car except an electric-powered car, and in California, they have blackouts and brownouts,” said Trump. “They don’t have enough electricity right now to do the job. And, countrywide, you’d have to spend four trillion dollars to build the firing plants, charging plants.”
California argued its rule would benefit both public health and the environment by reducing emissions. But the ethanol industry warned early on that the huge California market for lower-emission corn ethanol would evaporate.
“If that is, in fact, what happens, yeah, it’s going to have some far-reaching impacts on the fuel market, and by extension, it’s going to have an impact on the corn market,” said Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper. “California is the single largest consumer of gasoline when you look at all 50 states, and the single largest consumer of ethanol.”
Trump also signed resolutions to overturn California rules that require most new trucks sold in the state to also be electric.
