Hochul electric vehicles: New York becomes 2nd state to mandate zero-emissions vehicles by 2035!

New York — Governor Cathy Hochhol says New York is aiming to reduce vehicle emissions by 2035.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation directed that all new passenger cars, pickup trucks and SUVs sold in New York state be emission-free by 2035 Thursday.

This means that all new vehicles purchased in New York will need to be emissions-free models starting in 2035. To reach this target, 35% must be emissions-free by 2026 and 68% by 2030.

All new school buses purchased must be emissions-free by 2027, with the entire fleet meeting these standards by 2035.

Related: California leads the way in zero-emissions transportation, but there are still challenges to overcome

New York is the second state to mandate zero-emissions vehicles by 2035. But the state had to wait for California.

California finally voted last month to ban the sale of gas-powered cars starting in 2035.

Any state-led move to enforce stricter emissions rules must first occur in California, in accordance with federal regulations dating back to the 1970 Clean Air Act.

“That’s fine, as soon as they make that decision, we can escalate immediately and say now there’s nothing holding us back,” Hochul said. “We had to wait for California to make a move because there are some federal requirements that California has to go through first. This is the only time we’re letting them go first.”

Hochul also announced that the state is adding $10 million to the Drive Clean discount program to help New Yorkers buy electric vehicles.

The discount comes to about $2,000 per vehicle. More than 70,000 rebates have already been issued.

The governor also announced the installation of more rapid chargers for electric cars.

“Think of how simple this is, just head to a gas station or what used to be a gas station or convenience store, while you’re there for 20 minutes with a fast charging station, your car can be charged,” Hochul said.

So far, there are 100 fast chargers installed across the state with more to come.

“New York is a national climate leader and economic powerhouse, and we are using our power to help spur innovation and implementation of zero-emission vehicles at scale,” she said. “Through sustainable state and federal investments, our actions are motivating New Yorkers, local governments, and businesses to transition to electric vehicles. We are driving New York’s transition to clean transportation, and today’s announcement will benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come.”