March 01, 2023

Over 25 countries and US states are planning to ban gasoline powered cars

Electric cars have surged in popularity over the past decade. Thanks to early efforts by Tesla, GM, and Nissan, battery costs have fallen while electric range has increased. In fact, the earliest versions of Tesla's Model S boasted a range of around 200 miles. Today, the Model S can travel over 400 miles.

Above: Going green with a Tesla (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy)

The transition to electric vehicles is critical for tackling greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution goals in the future (and today). In fact, the transportation sector alone is accountable for 30% of emissions in the United States. If any country is serious about decreasing emissions and pollution, EVs need be part of the plan.

In turn, many countries around the world have devised plans, goals, or laws to end the sale of gasoline powered vehicles. Gas car bans vary (greatly) around the world. However, the writing is on the wall for car manufacturers. In the not-so-distant future, car makers will need to produce EVs or get left behind.

In the United States, EVs currently represent around 2.5% of new car sales. Recently, the Biden Administration announced an executive order to achieve 50% EV market share by 2030. While only a goal, it adds pressure on automakers to transition their vehicles to electric.

In 2021, there will be over 15 new electric models including the Rivian R1T, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volkswagen ID.4, and Jeep Wrangler PHEV. With lower prices, more vehicle segments, and longer range than ever before, EVs are ready for prime time. According to Green Car Reports, during the first half of 2021, there were over 300,000 EVs sold in the United States—of which approximately half were Tesla.

Above: A look at how automakers and many governments around the globe are pushing for electric cars (YouTube: news.com.au)

Now that EVs are an increasingly attractive and attainable option for car buyers, governments around the world have issued various gas car bans which will be implemented over the coming years (or decades in some cases).

Several car manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, GM, and, of course, Tesla, have already started building and investing in battery and electric car factories to keep up with these government mandates.

Tesla is on track to complete two new factories by the end of this year. One is near Berlin, Germany, which will serve the European market. The other is in Austin, Texas, which will be the first and primary production site for the highly-anticipated Cybertruck. Needless to say, it may take years for other automakers to build (or transition) their factories for electric vehicle production. Therefore, traditional car manufacturers need to invest heavily now.

Regardless, any sort of gas car ban by government agencies will not have any effect on Tesla. Tesla only produces electric cars. Tesla's success, in fact, has pushed many automakers to accelerate their own electric car plans.

Nevertheless, it's widely believed that most traditional automakers would not have accelerated their electric car plans without the added pressure of various governments imposing gas car bans.

One thing is for sure: it's just a matter of time for electric cars to take over.

Countries and U.S. States with Gas Car Bans

Norway - 2025
South Korea - 2025
Belgium - 2026
Austria - 2027
Slovenia - 2030
Iceland - 2030
Netherlands - 2030
Denmark - 2030
Ireland - 2030
Israel - 2030
Sweden - 2030
India - 2030
Washington - 2030
Scotland - 2032
Japan - 2035
United Kingdom - 2035
California - 2035
New York - 2035 (just announced)
Canada - 2035/2040
Cape Verde - 2035
China - 2040
Singapore - 2040
Sri Lanka - 2040
Taiwan - 2040
France - 2040
Spain - 2040
Egypt - 2040
Costa Rica - 2050

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Sources: Reuters, Coultra; Author Bio: Darya Oreizi is the founder at Charged Future: the EV charging consultancy. Charged Future helps businesses implement and achieve EV charging goals. Oreizi works with businesses as an EV charging project manager looking to save both time and money for his clients. This includes searching and applying to all eligible rebate applications, which can typically cover a large portion of the project cost. (Edited by Matt Pressman at EVANNEX)