Staff Reports
California just got a clear message from voters: Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to ban new gas cars by 2035 is wildly unpopular. A major statewide poll makes that plain, and the governor’s quick rebate move looks less like leadership and more like damage control.
PPIC poll: Two-thirds of Californians oppose Newsom’s EV mandate
The Public Policy Institute of California survey found about 66% of adults — and 65% of likely voters — oppose the 2035 zero-emission sales rule. Only about one-third favor it. Opposition is strongest among Republicans and independents, and even many Democrats are uneasy. Ownership and interest in EVs remain low: only about 12% own one and about a third have seriously considered buying one. That swing against the mandate has grown since the first years after the rule was announced. In short, the public is not on board.
Newsom’s MyFirstEV rebate looks small and shaky
To soothe voters, the governor rolled out a new rebate program that offers $3,500 off a new EV for first-time buyers and $1,750 on some used EVs. The state is putting up $135.5 million and automakers are matching dollars. Sounds nice until you read the fine print: limited funding, a weird carve-out for companies based in California, and a cap that won’t help buyers of many popular models. Expect the money to vanish fast. In short, the rebate is a patch, not a plan — and voters see it for what it is.
Voters worry about charging, costs, and real life
The poll shows why support is collapsing: people doubt the state will build enough chargers, and most don’t want to pay more for electricity or cars. Charging infrastructure confidence is low — only about one in five Californians are very or extremely confident it will be ready. Families in inland and rural areas, and lower-income Californians, say EVs are out of reach. When a policy sounds pretty on paper but painful at the pump — or the outlet — voters turn away.
Political fallout: This is Newsom’s problem to fix, not spin away
The PPIC results are more than a survey blip. They are a political warning. When independents and many Democrats bail on a marquee policy, it becomes a liability — not just in Sacramento but in local races across the state. Governor Gavin Newsom can keep pitching rebates and press releases, or he can admit the mandate needs a reality check: more chargers, bigger incentives, and a timeline that fits people’s lives. If he keeps pretending voters are already cheering, he’ll learn the hard way that popular mandates require popular backing — and right now, that backing is gone.
