California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has hailed his administration's clean energy efforts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as the state surpasses 2.5 million EV sales.
Gavin Newsom Slams Trump
In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, the Governor said that the state had passed the 2.5 million figure despite Washington’s regulation being pro-Gasoline.
“While Washington now cedes the global clean vehicle market to China," he said, his state was "ensuring American workers and manufacturers” could progress in sectors, like the EV industry, that “will define this century."
Proud to announce in Davos at the @WEF that California has surpassed 2.5M ZEV sales.
While Washington now cedes the global clean vehicle market to China, California is ensuring American workers and manufacturers can excel in the industries that will define this century. pic.twitter.com/jHHPFkBFjh
In an official press release on Tuesday, the Governor's office shared that the 2.5 million figure was well over the original target of "1.5 million ZEVs on the road by 2025." The statement also touted a 300% surge in EV adoption in the state since 2019 amid favorable regulatory practices.
"Californians purchased 79,066 new ZEVs, representing 18.9% of new car sales—even after federal tax credits expired on September 30," the statement said, adding that Newsom had proposed a new $200 million incentive program to boost EV sales.
The statement also slammed President Donald Trump for Canada's tariff agreement with China, which will see the country allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs into the market, with the potential for that number to increase to 70,000 in five years.
"Donald Trump has driven away the United States' second-largest trading partner," the statement said, adding that China's deal with Canada has threatened "America's leadership in electric vehicle manufacturing."
Gavin Newsom's Criticism, Trump Admin Slams EV Mandate
This isn't the first instance where Newsom has criticized Trump's regulatory policies, which have proven to be detrimental to EV growth. He had earlier criticized Trump for letting China take the lead in EVs as the White House announced a relaxation of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which was, in turn, hailed by Ford Motor Co.(NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley.
Meanwhile, Trump doubled down on his criticism of pro-EV policies by the previous Joe Biden administration, calling the admin's CAFE standards "ridiculous" and criticizing Biden's "war" on internal combustion engines.
Trump's words were also echoed by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who, touting affordability, said that there was a "backdoor EV mandate" in the U.S. during the previous administration, which caused vehicle prices to grow.
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