Four years ago, the idea of banning new gasoline car sales in the United States was treated as a fringe proposal. Today, it is part of the global conversation. According to LAist, citing a recent poll commissioned by Coltura, more than 50% of US voters support requiring all new cars sold to be electric within a decade.
Multiple major automakers have announced plans to stop producing gas and diesel models over the next 20 years, and several governments are debating hard phaseout dates.
The short version
- Coltura-commissioned polling shows majority US voter support for a 10-year transition to 100% electric new car sales.
- The EU is considering a binding 2035 zero-emission sales mandate.
- Glasgow climate talks included a non-binding call for global 100% zero-emission new vehicle sales by 2040.
- California, Massachusetts, and New York have set plans to phase out gas car sales within 15 years.
- Gas and diesel vehicles still account for about 97% of the US car market, per LAist.
Background: from ridiculed to mainstream
Coltura, a small advocacy group that has pushed for an end to gasoline use for years, was treated as a curiosity when it first raised the idea. Its calls to phase out gas cars in Washington state in 2017 were dismissed in regional media, with one Seattle columnist prominently using the word "crazy." By 2021, the conversation has changed. Tesla is the most valuable automaker in the world. Legacy manufacturers have committed to electrifying their lineups. Cities from London to Oslo are banning combustion vehicles from city centers.
The shift was driven by three forces: falling battery costs, growing climate pressure, and air-quality concerns in dense cities. The same Coltura that was once mocked now finds itself with a poll showing majority support for a policy most politicians would not have touched a few years ago.
Our analysis
The freight and logistics industry should not read this as a consumer trend. It is a structural shift in vehicle supply, fuel infrastructure, and tax policy. Fleet operators running light-duty vans, last-mile delivery trucks, and service vehicles will see OEM gasoline and diesel options shrink on a defined timeline. That changes residual values, total cost of ownership math, and refueling logistics. A 15-year phaseout window is short for fleet replacement cycles but long enough to plan around.
The US market, however, is not the EU. The LAist piece rightly flags the gap between announcements and reality. The federal government has set a goal of 50% electric new car sales but not a hard ban. The US grid is not ready for full electrification. Public charging is patchy outside coastal metros. And 97% market share for combustion does not turn over in a decade no matter how the regulations are written.
For Israel-adjacent readers, the parallels are worth noting. The EU's 2035 mandate will shape what European OEMs build, which will in turn shape what global fleet operators can buy. Israel has its own 2035 target. Cross-border 3PL operators in the region will find their equipment pool aligning with European electric platforms faster than with US gas platforms.
Worked example: a US parcel fleet replacement decision
Say you operate a last-mile parcel fleet and are deciding whether to order more gasoline vans or to switch the next order to electric. Five years ago, the answer was easy: buy gas. Today, the math is more nuanced. State mandates in California, New York, and Massachusetts will restrict new gas van sales within 15 years, so residual values on new gas vans will fall. Electricity is cheaper per mile than gasoline in most metros. The risk is charging infrastructure. A reasonable hedge: order electric vans for dense urban routes and gas vans for suburban and rural, with a clear plan to retire the gas fleet well before the deadlines hit.
What to watch next
Watch the EU's 2035 decision. Watch the US federal target, and whether any administration codifies 50% electric sales as a binding rule. Watch state-level bans, which will likely accelerate regardless of federal action. And watch battery raw material prices, because the cost curve still drives most fleet decisions. The policy window is open. The supply chain for batteries, charging, and grid upgrades will determine whether the targets are real.
Key takeaways
- More than 50% of US voters back a 10-year gas car sales ban, per a Coltura poll.
- California, Massachusetts, and New York are targeting 15-year phaseouts; the EU is weighing 2035.
- Gas vehicles still hold about 97% of the US market, so the gap between policy and reality is wide.
- Fleet operators should plan for shrinking gas options in light-duty vans, with state mandates reshaping residual values.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of US voters support a 10-year gas car sales ban?
A poll commissioned by Coltura found more than 50% of US voters support requiring all new cars to be electric within a decade.
Which US states have set gas car phaseout dates?
California, Massachusetts, and New York have all set plans to end fuel car sales within 15 years.
When could the EU ban new gas car sales?
The EU is considering a binding 2035 zero-emission sales mandate, which is being debated now.
What share of US car sales are still gas or diesel?
About 97% of the US car market is still gas or diesel, according to LAist.
How does this affect fleet operators?
Fleet operators should expect gasoline and diesel light-duty options to narrow, residual values on new gas vehicles to fall, and charging infrastructure to become a key planning input.