Contact: Noah Barnes, Electrification Coalition
noah@electrification.org, (202) 461-2371
RICHMOND—On Wednesday, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that the Commonwealth will not adopt new vehicle standards, which require automakers to sell more zero-emission vehicles in Virginia after the current guidelines expire in 2025.
In response, Electrification Coalition Executive Director Ben Prochazka released the following statement:
“Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent announcement that the Commonwealth will not adopt new vehicle standards is disappointing, as it diminishes opportunities to grow Virginia’s economy and save drivers and fleets money.
“In 2021, the Virginia legislature voted to adopt the standards and again reaffirmed the decision after extensive debate, making this a truly Virginia decision.
“Virginia should continue to create consumer choice in how drivers power their vehicles. For a century, oil has had a monopoly on our transportation system. By transitioning to domestically produced, stably priced electricity, we are disentangling our Commonwealth and nation from international bad actors who do not share our interests or values yet retain incredible power over our economy by their undue influence over the price of oil.
“Policies and actions that give consumers more choices benefit the historically high percentage of the Commonwealth’s car buyers who chose electric vehicles since the standard was adopted. By supporting increased EV sales, the legislature ensured more Virginians took advantage of federal tax incentives while saving drivers money.
“The EV transition already provides tangible benefits to car buyers, our economy, and national security. We welcome the opportunity for dialogue so that Virginia doesn’t limit its opportunities but can realize electric transportation’s many benefits.”
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About the Electrification Coalition: The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes policies and actions to facilitate the widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) on a mass scale to overcome the economic, public health and national security challenges that stem from America’s dependence on oil. ElectrificationCoalition.org