Trump Administration sues California over electric vehicle mandate

(NBC, KYMA) - The Trump Administration is taking California to court over the state's aggressive push toward electric vehicles.

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Thursday on behalf of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, arguing California is effectively imposing its own fuel economy standards on automakers.

Federal officials say the state's vehicle emissions rules force manufacturers to meet stricter mileage requirements, which they argue violates federal law that reserves fuel economy regulation for the national government.

The challenge centers on California's sweeping clean vehicle policies that require a growing share of new car and light truck sales to be zero-emission, with a goal of reaching 100% by 2035.

Those rules, first adopted by the state's air regulators in 2022, were allowed to move forward after the Environmental Protection Agency granted California a waiver during the Biden Administration.

More than a dozen states have since followed California's lead with similar policies.

The Trump Administration says the lawsuit is intended to restore a single national standard for vehicle fuel economy and emissions, rather than what it describes as a patchwork of state requirements.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D-Calif.) office responded to the lawsuit saying in part, "The same day he admits he’s fine prolonging the Iran War so oil companies can make record profits by charging YOU more for gas, his goons sue California for encouraging cheaper electric cars."

To learn more about the lawsuit, click here.