The Canadian government is poised to pass rules requiring all new vehicles sold in the country to be zero-emissions by 2035, according to news reports.
The federal government will announce the regulation, called the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, in the coming days, with the aim of phasing out the sale of new combustion vehicles, theCanadian Broadcasting Corporationand theToronto Starreported, both citing an unnamed senior government official.
The government also wants to ensure that EVs are available to consumers in Canada amid concerns about a lack of supply as electric cars, trucks and SUVs are shipped to other markets, the reports said.
Automakers will be able to earn credits for bringing more electric vehicles to market ahead of the target dates and for investing in EV-charging infrastructure.
A spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
The UK introduced anEV sales mandatewith similar timelines — including a target of 100% of new sales by 2035 —in September. More than a dozen US states, includingNew York and California, have EV sales mandates.
US President Joe Biden’s administration in April proposednew tailpipe emissions limitsthat would effectively compel automakers to ensure two out of every three cars and light trucks sold in 2032 are electric models. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has made the push for EVs afrequent point of attackagainst Biden, saying the policies will mean higher costs for car buyers and lead to US autoworker job losses.