The Glasgow-based Caesar Rodney, a public policy group, joined 28 other organizations in an open letter criticizing other states adopting California’s zero-emissions vehicle standards.
Delaware’s mandate goes into effect in 2026 and requires that a certain percentage of vehicles come with hybrid or all-electric powertrains. Many of the organizations signing the letter represent gas stations and fuel suppliers.
CRI noted that Gov. John Carney adopted the mandate without legislative approval, noting that the measure would require that within 13 years, all vehicles sold in Delaware will be all-electric.
The open letter “Stop California Style Regulations and Bans” strongly urges states not to follow that state’s executive order process with adopting the ZEV program.
Should Carney seek a legislative vote on the matter, chances of approval would have been strong since Democrats hold a sizable majority of seats in both houses.
The letter states that California is not like other states due to its size and population: “California is the largest state in the country. While the costs to California would be shared among millions of residents, and the geographic limits cross-border competition, most of the 16 other states would put themselves at a further economic disadvantage with neighboring states if these bans were implemented.” Additionally, the open letter warns citizens and legislators of the impact of following California’s process of the executive order with the ZEV regulations: “Authorization to join in California’s bans is not coming from elected legislatures or the people through direct democracy. It comes from governors and unelected bureaucrats, regardless of legal requirements. It sets a bad precedent for state governments to circumvent a process which incorporates citizens’ input. Please understand that, at its core, banning products during a 40 year high of inflation rates and during a global pandemic is a poor concept that is fundamentally economically damaging, and places an unnecessary financial burden on people who can least afford it.” Click here for a copy of the letter.
CRI and its energy director David Stevenson have been critical of electric vehicles, citing their higher costs. Instead, Stevenson has been supportive of hybrids. Supporters of EVs say battery prices are coming down and will make the vehicles competitive in the coming years.
General Motors has always indicated it will move to 100% all-electric vehicle production by 2035.
