Is Fresno on track with CA’s zero emission mandate?

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The lack of growth shown in California Energy Commission’s data is raising questions about the validity of California’s electric vehicle mandate approved in 2022.

Under California’s mandate, that bans all sales of gas-powered cars. Starting in 2026, 35% of new cars sold in the state must be zero emissions increasing to 68% in 2030 and 100% in 2035.

But data from the California Energy Commission revealed only 25.3% of all new cars registered in the state in 2024 were electric— compared to 25% in 2023.

“The government’s trying to mandate people to buy these, but without any of the incentives in place or without any of a general purpose, the market is proving itself that there isn’t a hunger for EVs,” District 8 Assemblyman David Tangipa said. 

Lithia Subaru of Fresno says their demand slowed down in the fourth quarter of 2024.

General Manager Roger Silva said they are offering their only electric car at an affordable rate in an effort to bounce back from the low sales volume.

President of the California New Car Dealers Association Brian Maas urges the California Air Resources Board to pause the mandate and shared this statement:

“Our dealers have heard firsthand that their customers prefer a more gradual transition to an electrified vehicle, and, in many cases, they simply want to stick with the internal combustion engines they are familiar with. Whether it’s due to lack of quality charging infrastructure, range anxiety, or long charging wait times.”

“We’re now going to punish these dealerships? That doesn’t help anybody. That actually is only going to limit the market. And when we limit the market, we see exactly what happened to cost and price. They start to skyrocket,” Tangipa said. 

Tangipa said there should be more focus on how to make living in California more attainable.

“People are thinking about themselves right now because they need to be able to afford rent, utilities and just be able to the ability to live for the next week, let alone the next year,” Tangipa said.

District 27 Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria expressed concern for the mandate’s practicality— especially for rural areas that are limited on charging stations.

“Without significant investment in programs like Clean Cars for All, public charging stations and grid capacity—rural Californians will continue to face barriers to EV adoption. Our state needs to look at practical solutions and timelines for rural communities,” Soria said. 

We reached out to the California Air Resources Board for comment but we did not receive a response.