Trump administration files lawsuit targeting California's 2035 EV mandate

Madison Smalstig, The Sacramento Bee on Mar 12, 2026

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The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging California’s emissions rules, continuing its fight against the state’s autonomy to reduce vehicle pollutants by using what the federal government calls “illegal” methods.

The suit, filed in Sacramento federal court, argues California’s requirement that all new vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035 improperly regulates fuel economy — an area the administration says falls under the authority of the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

At issue are California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, which were adopted in 2022 and established several requirements for automakers, including the 2035 zero-emission sales mandate. The rules require automakers to steadily increase the share of electric and other zero-emission vehicles they sell in California leading up to the 2035 deadline.

California has long held special authority under the federal Clean Air Act to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than the federal government because of the state’s historic smog problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can grant the state waivers allowing tougher rules, while other states can choose to adopt California’s standards.

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia currently follow California standards, and the state accounts for about one in every eight new vehicles sold in the United States, according to the California New Car Dealers Association. California has also been one of the largest markets for zero-emission vehicles, with more than 2.5 million cumulative ZEV sales as of 2025 and nearly 19% of all new vehicle sales in the fourth quarter of last year, according to the California Energy Commission.

The lawsuit names the California Air Resources Board, the agency responsible for implementing the regulations. Federal officials are asking the court to declare the zero-emission vehicle mandate illegal and unenforceable, arguing that blocking the rule would help lower vehicle costs.

“The Trump administration’s new standards will save American families from bearing a hidden cost-of-living increase in auto prices because of the Biden-Buttigieg illegal rule,” U.S. Justice Department officials said in a statement announcing the suit . “They will also revive the beating heart of American manufacturing and unshackle the nation’s automotive industry to produce safer, more affordable cars that American families want to buy.”

A California Air Resources Board representative declined to comment on the active litigation.

The lawsuit marks the latest effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to roll back vehicle emissions policies adopted under the Biden administration, which granted California a Clean Air Act waiver in 2024 allowing the state to continue pursuing its zero-emission vehicle goals.

In June of last year, Trump signed a congressional resolution aimed at blocking California’s rule phasing out new gas-powered cars. California responded by suing the feds, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office calling the measure an “illegal resolution.” In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order reaffirming the state’s commitment to expanding zero-emission vehicle use.

Newsom’s office called the latest lawsuit “meritless” and said “California will continue competing globally to win the clean vehicle market.”

The lawsuit comes as gas prices across the country have surged following the start of Trump’s war in Iran. The statewide average gas price Thursday was about $5.37 per gallon, roughly 57 cents higher than last week, according to AAA. Prices in Sacramento were reported at similar levels.

“On the same day Trump bragged on social media that he’s happy to let the Iran war drag on while drivers keep paying more at the pump and oil companies pocket record profits, his administration sued California for advancing cleaner, cheaper cars that free drivers from the grip of foreign oil markets and the bad actors who stand to profit from global instability,” an emailed statement from Newsom’s spokesperson reads. “Gas prices are soaring nationwide because of Trump’s reckless choices, and now he’s attacking the Golden State for trying to give Californians more freedom and cheaper options.”

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