California residents are being told not to charge their electric vehicles due to possible blackouts just one week after the state announced it would ban the sale of gas-powered cars in 2035.
The state issued a heat advisory Tuesday, warning excessive heat “will stress [the] energy grid.”
“Consumers are urged to reduce energy use from 4-9 p.m. when the system is most stressed because demand for electricity remains high and there is less solar energy available,” the state said in the notice. “The top three conservation actions are to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, and turn off unnecessary lights.” (RELATED: Biden Admin Handed California The Power To Mandate Els Nationwide)
DEVELOPING: California power grid officials warn of blackouts, urge residents to conserve energy.
“Set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, and turn off unnecessary lights,” pic.twitter.com/hOn8kweyuD
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 31, 2022
The state of California earlier in August banned the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035 as it tries to transition toward electric vehicles. The state also set interim targets, requiring 35% of vehicles sold in the state by 2026 to produce zero emissions, increasing to 68% by 2030. California is the nation’s largest auto market.
But the new electric vehicle mandates may be “extremely challenging” to meet, President of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation John Bozzella told The New York Times in an email.
“Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directly linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage,” Bozzella continued.
The state is also set to fine automakers up to $20,000 for every vehicle that falls short of the state’s production targets.
Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Aug. 24 that his state would follow California’s lead in banning the sale of all gas-powered vehicles by 2035.