Hochul Pushes New York Toward Gas Car Ban Despite Concerns Over Costs and Overreach

New York is set to phase out the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks, moving toward a mandate that all vehicles sold by 2035 must be zero-emission. Opponents say that the policy puts ideology ahead of practicality.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, requires all new passenger cars and light trucks to be zero-emission within the next decade, with medium- and heavy-duty trucks to follow by 2045. The legislation mirrors California’s controversial mandates and expands on New York’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which imposed some of the most stringent climate targets in the country.

Supporters hailed the move as bold.

“Thanks to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York envisions a not-too-distant future where electric vehicles dominate our roads,” said Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Todd Kaminsky. “The challenge of transforming our transportation sector is imperative to combating climate change—and this bill is exactly the bold, aggressive and necessary action required to help us meet those goals, reduce our carbon footprint and ultimately save our planet.”

Harckham echoed that message: “Requiring vehicles to be entirely free of carbon and other toxic emissions is the best way to ramp up our fight against climate change. We need to take decisive action right now, and I am heartened that a number of other states have realized this as well. Together, we can make a difference, but it is going to take an all-out initiative to save our planet, and this is how New York and other states can impact the environment.”

But while Hochul and her allies champion the mandate as forward-looking, Republicans argue it is unrealistic, expensive, and damaging to average New Yorkers. Critics note the high cost of electric vehicles, the lack of charging infrastructure, and the strain on an electric grid already struggling to meet demand. For many upstate and rural residents, the law is seen as government overreach that forces lifestyle changes on people who have little say in Albany’s progressive agenda.

The mandate comes as automakers scramble to accelerate production of electric models, but skeptics warn that forcing the transition by law will push prices higher, limit consumer choice, and disproportionately hurt working families who cannot afford expensive EVs. Not to mention, disproportionately hurt lower income families across the state who cannot afford a new vehicle.

Assemblyman Englebright defended the move, saying, “We need to take aggressive action and end carbon pollution to successfully combat the climate crisis. Transitioning to zero-emission vehicles in New York will definitely help reduce the dangerous pollutants that are harming our environment and causing myriad health problems for our residents. Also, building cleaner cars will mean more new manufacturing and service jobs across the country.”

Despite those assurances, Hochul’s embrace of aggressive climate mandates has cemented her reputation as a governor willing to impose progressive policies regardless of cost or feasibility. Republicans say the gas-car ban is yet another example of her prioritizing green ideology over the economic realities faced by New Yorkers already coping with high taxes, inflation, and rising utility bills.

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Hochul Pushes New York Toward Gas Car Ban Despite Concerns Over Costs and Overreach