Californians hate Gavin Newsoms gas vehicle ban, poll shows

Gov.Gavin Newsom recently doubled down on his mission to make California a haven where only new electric vehicles are sold, but most Californians — including fellow Democrats — are saying hell no, according to a new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California.The survey, conducted June 29 to July 6, revealed that nearly 66% of adults and likely voters oppose Newsom’s executive order signed in 2020 that bans the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.

The governor created such a ban as part of a mission to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.“This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,” Newsom said then.But since the order was issued, Californians have trended in the opposite direction.Compared to 2021, the share of Californians across all political stripes — even Democrats who tend to support climate-friendly policies — who say they oppose Newsom’s ban has increased.For example, 31% of Democrats in the institute’s 2021 survey opposed the ban, but now half of them do.

Among independents, the opposition share went from 56% to 69%.Overall, the share of adults who want to keep buying gas-powered cars has increased 17 points.Mark Baldassare, the institute’s survey director, told the Post the trend’s underlying cause is the increasing unaffordability of the state.

He pointed to the declining share of people who when surveyed said they’re seriously considering buying an electric vehicle — now about a third compared to a half five years ago.“If they’re not going to do it, and it’s something they’re going to be asked to be doing over the next few years, then I think that’s why people are at odds with the governor’s executive order,” he said.Part of the reason EVs have lost appeal is because federal tax credits which boosted financial incentives have expired, Baldassare said.But just as important is the fact that electricity prices in California have spiked.“We’ve got 6 in...