After the US President held a bill-signing ceremony on Thursday to repeal what the Trump Administration referred to as the “California EV mandate,” a coalition of 11 states filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the President’s actions.
The three resolutions were approved by the Congress and aim to end tax breaks on EVs purchased in California, as well as diesel engine rules adopted by the state, which intended to stop selling gasoline-only vehicles by 2035.
In ten years, California expected that at least 80% of new vehicles sold in the state would be fully electric, with 20% being plug-in hybrids.
The states — including New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Massachusetts, Washington, among others — are asking the Court to declare that the federal decision cannot impact state emissions rules.
These rules were issued during Joe Biden’s term, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — which is being sued along its administrator Lee Zeldin, and President Donald Trump.
Under the Clean Air Act waivers, California has the authority to set standards stricter than the federal government.
According to the lawsuit, seen by Reuters, “the Federal Government carried out an illegal playbook designed to evade lawful procedures that might prevent the ‘take down’ of disfavored California laws.”
“What we’re seeing is a thinly veiled attempt by the president to retaliate against California for choosing progress over regression,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said.
The attorney claims that Trump’s move represents an “unprecedented and illegal use” of the Congressional Review Act, which, he said, should apply only to federal rules.
Bonta, who said this is the 26th lawsuit he files against the Trump Administration since January, noted that California’s Clean Air Act waivers have never been considered rules subject to the Congressional Review Act.
Governor Gavin Newsom stated that “Trump’s all-out assault on California continues. And this time he’s destroying our clean air and America’s global competitiveness in the process.”
However, Trump’s decision got the support of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents auto giants like General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Stellantis, among others.
Auto Innovators’ CEO John Bozzella considered that the decision was just in time to avoid “real damange to the auto industry in America,” saying that EV rules were unachievable and made cars less affordable.
Bozzella highlighted that Trump “stood up for customer choice” and “helped restore a degree of balance to U.S. emissions regulations.”
At the event held on Thursday, Trump also commented on his relationship with Elon Musk, Tesla‘s CEO and former Special Government Employee.
He reaffirmed that his plans to cut EV tax credits were “not something new” and that he was surprised that Musk was endorsing him.
To Trump, it is clear that “a lot of people love electric. They love Tesla.” He added that so does he, “in all fairness.”
“I like Tesla, and I like others too, but I also like combustion engines,” the President concluded.
