Dozens of California Business, Consumer, and Social Justice Groups Join CALIBRATE Demanding Fixes to Unrealistic EV Mandate

Sacramento—As California’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate enters its enforcement phase this year, a growing coalition of business and community leaders is sounding the alarm that the mandate is out of touch with consumer behavior and economic reality.

More than 40 influential organizations have joined the CALIBRATE coalition in recent weeks, calling for a pause in enforcement and a recalibrated approach that supports California’s environmental goals while protecting consumers, small businesses, and the economy.

Beginning this year, automakers must ensure that 35 percent of all model year 2026 vehicles sold in California are zero-emission. As EV sales backslide and infrastructure lags (see below), the state’s EV mandate threatens to drive up prices and limit consumer choice across the state.

The new coalition partners include:

National Action Network, Los Angeles, founded by Reverend Al Sharpton, is one of the nation’s leading civil rights organizations.

“A mandate doesn’t represent progress if some communities are left behind,” said Rev. Jonathan E. D. Moseley, Western Regional Director of National Action Network (NAN). “The state can’t force working families to buy electric cars if the price is unaffordable, and most communities still don’t have enough charging stations. The EV mandate needs to be paused and rewritten with input from the people most impacted.”

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The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce represents a network of 130 Hispanic and diverse chambers and business associations throughout California.

“Our Latino communities care deeply about clean air and a sustainable climate, but we also need affordable, practical transportation options that work for Latino-owned small businesses and families,” said Julian Canete, President and CEO of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. “California deserves energy policies that support both environmental progress and working families. We’re asking for a seat at the table to help craft a plan that truly works for everyone.”

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The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 26,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of 5.8 million members.

“The one-size-fits-all EV mandate fails to reflect the unique needs of farmers across California,” said California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass. “The lack of charging infrastructure and the policies’ rigid timeline create serious obstacles for rural communities and agricultural producers. We’re calling for a more practical, flexible policy that doesn’t harm California agriculture.”

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California Fuels and Convenience Alliance represents independent fuel marketers, transporters, and convenience store operators—primarily small, family-owned businesses—across the state.

“California’s EV mandate is unrealistic and unsustainable,” said Elizabeth Graham, CEO of the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance. “The ACC II policy puts small, family-owned, and minority owned businesses at serious risk, including local gas stations that are already working to provide cleaner fuel options. We need to pause the mandate and bring real-world stakeholders into the conversation to develop a plan that works for consumers, businesses, and our environmental goals.”

Below is a comprehensive list of CALIBRATE coalition members, with more joining each day:

Agriculture:

California Farm Bureau

Fresno County Farm Bureau

Monterey County Farm Bureau

Western Growers

Consumer & Senior Advocacy:

California Consumer Advocates for Affordability & Safety

California Consumer Voice

California Senior Alliance

California Taxpayer Protection Committee

Contra Costa County Taxpayers Association

Gold Country Taxpayers Association

Golden Years Policy Council

Los Angeles County Taxpayers Association

National Motorists Association

Placer County Taxpayers Association

Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association

Solano County Taxpayers Association

Small Business & Industry:

California Business Roundtable

California Chamber of Commerce

California Fuels & Convenience Alliance

California Local Business Connection

California New Car Dealers Association

California Retailers Association

California Small Business Association

Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

Central Valley Business Federation

Family Business Association of California

National Federation of Independent Business

Orange County Business Council

San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce

Southwest California Legislative Council

Western Propane Gas Association

Social Justice, Ethnic, & Minority:

California Black Chamber of Commerce

California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce

Community Build

Community Repower Movement

Hispanic 100

Inland Empire Latino Coalition

National Action Network, Los Angeles

National Action Network, Sacramento

National Diversity Coalition

The Two Hundred for Homeownership

United Latinos Action

Recent polling conducted by Tulchin Research shows that 61% of California voters oppose the EV mandate after learning the details. This includes majorities across all major racial and ethnic groups as well as in traditionally progressive regions like the Bay Area. The poll also found that the lack of charging infrastructure was the top concern, with affordability and consumer choice following closely behind.

Meanwhile, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales dropped to just 20.8% of new car registrations in Q1 2025, a decline from 22% in 2024, according to Experian Automotive, as published in the California New Car Dealers Association's most recent Quarterly Auto Outlook report.

Hybrid vehicle sales continue to rise, growing to 17.9% of the market in Q1. The trendline shows that consumers remain interested in more efficient options, but many are not ready to go fully electric. Tesla sales, once the backbone of California’s EV growth, fell more than 15% year-over-year and have now declined for six consecutive quarters.

Learn more at CalibrateCA.org.