ACC II Adoption Can Cut Consumer Costs, Slash Emissions

California’s Advanced Clean Cars II, or ACC II, rule is expected to accelerate electric vehicle deployment, deliver hundreds of dollars in annual consumer savings, and cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, finds a recent Forbes article.

The publication reported that 17 states—nearly 38% of the U.S. car market—are contemplating or have already adopted ACC II standards. If all adopt ACC II standards, over 75% of U.S. cars could be EVs by 2050, according to New Energy Innovation Policy & Technology LLC modeling. The open-source Energy Policy Simulator model predicts how accelerated EV adoption might impact GHG emissions, the economy, and public health.

According to the modeling, ACC II adoption could:

• Save households over $600 per year, depending on the state
• Help the country avoid 1.3 billion tons of carbon pollution by 2050
• Generate significant public health benefits, including preventing approximately 5,000 premature deaths from air pollution and 161,000 asthma attacks in 2050
• Create nearly 300,000 additional jobs

Adopted by California in August, ACC II sets a gradually increasing requirement for sales of zero-emission vehicles up to 100% by 2035. The policy is expected to lead to nearly 100% of EV sales in any jurisdiction that applies it because of the expected lower cost of EVs compared to other ZEVs, such as plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.

Sixteen states joined California in adopting its earlier standards. Some of the states, such as Virginia and Massachusetts, automatically adopt the latest iterations of California’s standards. However, other states require new legislation or regulation to do so.

Successful ACC II adoption will require states to do their part to ensure equitable access to EVs, particularly for low-income households. States also must continue to support charging infrastructure deployment, especially in underserved communities. According to the Forbes article, policymakers will need to ready their states for more EV adoption by:

• Updating building codes
• Improving utility planning
• Implementing clean-energy standards