California Officials Are Meeting Automakers, Discussing Next Phase of Automotive GHG Regulations

On January 29, 2026, Reuters reported California officials are meeting with Detroit automakers to discuss the next phase of the state’s greenhouse gas regulations for cars and trucks, according to California’s top air regulator.

The talks come as California battles in court and in Congress against the administration’s efforts to roll back landmark federal vehicle emissions standards. Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to announce next week the details of a new $200 million electric vehicle incentive program designed to offset the loss of federal tax credits for new EVs that were eliminated under the federal budget bill last year, said Lauren Sanchez, chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), in an interview with Reuters.

“We are accelerating all of our work on zero-emission vehicles, and we know we have to manage a transition that protects the environment, communities, and workers, in collaboration with industry,” Sanchez said.

Ford Motor and Stellantis did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters for comment. General Motors confirmed it was meeting with CARB in Detroit, noting its “long history of dialogue and collaboration with CARB,” and emphasized that California, with the world’s fourth-largest economy, remains a critical market for growth and innovation.

California has long struggled with some of the nation’s worst air quality, and many other states have adopted its stricter pollution standards. Under the federal Clean Air Act of 1970, California has unique authority to seek waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency to impose emissions rules that exceed federal requirements.

Those waivers were rescinded by Congress after lobbying from the Detroit Three automakers and the White House, alongside a broader weakening of federal tailpipe standards and legislation eliminating penalties for noncompliance. GM said this week the federal rollback could save the company as much as $750 million.

Newsom, a vocal critic of the president and a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028, sharply criticized GM last year, accusing CEO Mary Barra of undermining California’s emissions progress.

Sanchez said federal attacks on electric vehicles and clean energy policies have effectively ceded leadership in the sector to China. She pointed to Newsom’s planned EV incentive program as part of California’s effort to help automakers remain globally competitive.

“We’re doing everything we can to support the innovation automakers need to compete globally,” Sanchez said. “We look forward to partnering with them to ensure these investments drive the innovation and competition that’s required.”

Last year, the president used the Congressional Review Act to revoke California’s Advanced Clean Cars II waiver, which aimed to phase out new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. That action, combined with the loss of federal EV tax credits, slowed EV sales and production. The administration also overturned waivers tied to zero-emission heavy-duty trucks and tougher nitrogen oxide standards for new diesel engines.

In addition, the administration is moving to revoke the EPA’s long-standing “endangerment finding,” which allows the agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Sanchez said California expects to challenge that move in court.

Ahead of the president’s inauguration in January 2025, CARB withdrew waiver requests covering locomotive pollution and timelines for replacing diesel trucks with zero-emission vehicles. Sanchez described those moves as strategic, preserving the state’s ability to pursue alternative approaches.

“We’re prepared to fight,” she said, “and we’re also prepared to explore other paths at the same time.”

EVinfo.net’s Take: We Support California’s Fight for Clean Transportation

EVinfo.net strongly supports California’s ongoing efforts to defend and advance clean transportation policy in the face of renewed federal attempts to dismantle landmark vehicle emissions standards. As the nation’s long-standing leader on air quality and climate policy, California has both the legal authority and the responsibility to push forward when federal action falls short.

California is currently fighting in the courts and in the U.S. Congress against the federal administration’s rollback of vehicle emissions rules that have, for decades, driven innovation, reduced pollution, and improved public health nationwide. These standards have not only cleaned up California’s air, some of the most polluted in the country, but have also served as a model adopted by many other states.

Researchers at USC’s Keck School of Medicine have found clear evidence that as zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) become more common on California roads, nearby air quality improves. Using high-resolution satellite data, the team linked rising EV adoption to the first statistically significant real-world decline in nitrogen dioxide, a harmful traffic-related pollutant.

The push to weaken the nation’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards threatens to worsen three of the most persistent problems facing the United States: our dependence on oil, the high cost of gasoline, and the accelerating impacts of global warming. These standards were created to make vehicles more efficient, cut fuel costs for families, and reduce the pollution driving climate change. Rolling them back moves the country in the opposite direction.

Weakening CAFE standards will increase the harmful effects of global human-caused climate change, decrease American national security, make Americans sicker, and raise fuel costs for drivers. The American Lung Association says a nationwide shift to zero-emission technologies, like electric cars and trucks, will bring major public health benefits through cleaner air and reduced climate pollution.

On January 7th, Coltura’s Rob Sargent presented testimony to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), calling on them to back off on their plan to rollback fuel economy standards.

“The proposed rule would increase consumer fuel costs, reduce effective vehicle choice, weaken incentives for technological innovation, and increase national gasoline consumption, all while setting standards below levels the industry has already achieved. For the sake of American consumers, our global economic competitiveness, our health, and the planet, I urge NHTSA to withdraw this rule and maintain fuel economy standards that reflect technological feasibility, drive industry innovation, and reduce unnecessary fuel expenditures,” said Sargent.

EVinfo.net Supports New California EV Incentives

EVinfo.net also supports Governor Gavin Newsom’s forthcoming announcement of a new $200 million electric vehicle incentive program. This initiative is designed to help fill the gap left after last year’s federal budget bill eliminated tax credits for new electric vehicles. At a time when affordability remains one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption, state-level incentives are critical to keeping consumers, fleets, and manufacturers moving forward.

The loss of federal EV tax credits has already created uncertainty across the market, slowing adoption and investment just as electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream. California’s proposed incentive program sends a clear signal that the state remains committed to zero-emission transportation, economic competitiveness, and climate leadership.

At EVinfo.net, we believe China’s continued leadership in the EV sector means more declines for America’s economy if we don’t start trying to catch up. 2025 was the worst year for hiring since 2020, a December jobs report shows.

On January 9, 2026, The Wall St. Journal reported China reinforced its dominant position in the global electric vehicle industry in 2025, with domestic manufacturers continuing to gain market share from foreign automakers in the world’s largest automotive market.

We stand with California in its legal challenges, policy leadership, and continued investment in electric vehicles. The transition to zero-emission transportation is not optional. This transition is necessary, and it must continue.