Washington state bans sale of fossil-fuel cars from 2030

Move Ahead Washington includes funding for replacement of I-5 bridge

Washington state governor Jay Inslee has signed a bill that will require all new cars registered from 2030 in the state to use electric powertrains.

The Clean Cars 2030 program is described as being the most aggressive bill of its kind in the US, banning fossil-fuel cars five years earlier than similar legislation in California.

“The war in Ukraine and the burden of high gas prices on families demonstrate the importance of ending our dependence on gasoline and preparing for an all-electric transportation future,” said Matthew Metz, co-executive director of Coltura, a non-profit working to phase out gasoline.

“By targeting 2030 as an end date for the sales of gasoline cars in Washington, Clean Cars 2030 gives confidence to consumers, automakers, utilities, investors, and others that now is the time to go all-in on an all-EV future.”

The program was passed as part of ‘Move Ahead Washington’ a $16.9 billion, 16-year transportation package.

Spending in the package includes:

$5.4 billion for carbon reduction and multimodal expansion

$3.0 billion for public transportation (including free fares for under 18s)

$836 million for four new hybrid-electric ferries

$150 million towards ultra-high speed rail

The package will further include $2.4 billion to fund fish passage barrier removals, where disused infrastructure is preventing fish from reaching spawning grounds. A further $1 billion will be used to part-fund construction of the I-5 replacement bridge over the Columbia River.

A similar Clean Cars 2030 bill was introduced in the Rhode Island legislature earlier in March.