Our story
California’s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation required 35% of new car sales to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2026, climbing to 100% by 2035. The mandate’s accelerated timeline risked a chaotic rollout and potentially devastating consequences for consumers, businesses, and California communities. Regulators pushed ahead despite critical infrastructure gaps and uneven consumer demand.
The CALIBRATE coalition was formed in early 2025 to advocate for a pause in the mandate and a more practical, market-aligned path forward. The coalition launched an impactful public-facing campaign in California with paid advertising and media engagement to demonstrate the risks of moving too fast and the need for a more thoughtful plan.
Separately, in late May 2025, the Trump Administration encouraged Congress to remove California’s authority to enforce its own vehicle emissions standards, including the ACC II regulation. In response, Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration.
Most critically, in June 2025 the CALIBRATE coalition achieved its objective when California regulators paused enforcement of the ACC II mandate, temporarily restoring certainty to the marketplace and opening the door to more achievable transition goals.
Gov. Newsom then signed an executive order directing the California Air Resources Board to craft new vehicle emission policies to effectuate the state’s zero-emission goals.
Though the future for California’s transportation regulatory requirements is murky, the CALIBRATE coalition’s commitment is clear: we will continue to advocate for policies that are ambitious but achievable, supporting California’s goal of leading in clean transportation – without sacrificing affordability or reliability.