California’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Rule Ups the Ante for Autos

Producing enough zero-emission vehicles to meet California’s recently proposed plans to fully phase out gas-powered cars by 2035 will be difficult, an automakers group said Thursday.

California’s top air regulator announced on Wednesday a proposal to accelerate the increase of zero-emission vehicles in steep phases. It calls for a goal of 35% of vehicles sold to be zero-emission by 2026, then 100% by 2035, compared to about 12.4% today.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents manufacturers that produce almost 98% of cars and light trucks sold in the U.S., called the proposal “extremely challenging.” In a statement, the organization ...