The next governor of California must repeal Gavin Newsom’s executive order banning the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035. 

Newsom issued the order for purely ideological reasons: to push a climate change agenda.

Californians care about the planet. But not at any price.

The same recent poll that showed Democrat Xavier Becerra ahead of Steve Hilton in the governor’s race also showed that Californians don’t want to pay more for “green” policies.

They know that gas prices are the highest in the nation. Our prices also make gas more expensive in neighboring states. 

The poll also showed that two-thirds of Californians oppose Newsom’s gas car ban.

People understand what the ban means. 

They know Newsom is trying to force them to buy electric vehicles (EVs), which are more expensive and harder to get rid of.

EVs typically also have a much shorter range than gas-powered cars. 

That might not be a problem if charging were quick and charging stations were easy to find.

But charging takes much longer than filling a gas tank. And stations are hard to find, even in “green” California.

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California residents also know that they can’t rely on being able to charge at home.

The power companies shut off the electricity in high winds to avoid wildfires. And because California keeps phasing out fossil fuels, there are sometimes electricity shortages.

In the summer of 2020, there were electricity shortages during a heat wave, and officials told California drivers not to charge their EVs from mid-afternoon to late evening.

At the time, Newsom said that California needed to “sober up” about the limits of renewable energy. 

But then just a few weeks later, in September 2020, Newsom announced his ban on sales of gas-powered cars.

The regulations were finalized in 2022. 

But no one seems to have thought about how to achieve Newsom’s dubious goal.

What drivers want most is choice and affordability. 

Some people prefer EVs, if they can afford them, and if they drive a regular and predictable route within a city with lots of charging options.

Other people prefer the flexibility, speed and reliability of gasoline. 

And some families have one of each, gas as well as electric.

If the state really wants people to move toward EVs, it should focus on building the infrastructure necessary to support them.

But don’t drive gas-powered cars off the market and off the roads.