California adds $1.8 billion annually to new car purchase costs. US senate votes to overturn. Gavin Newsom sues . . .

Photo above - Strange but true: Governor Newsom photobombs a Tesla supercharger to take credit for Elon Musk's work. Then he signed a bill forcing residents to ONLY buy EVs and hybrids.

Well, Governor Newsom has not YET filed suit against Congress. But he said that he will. The Senate voted on Wednesday to nullify California’s “EVs or Hybrids only” mandate. See link below.

As a hybrid driver myself, I’m also against any state's attempt to control what’s under the hood of my car. Since Newsom is (purportedly) running for president in 2028, he’s picked an odd hill to die on. Americans are unlikely to send someone to the White House who tells this which car to buy. Maybe that sort of thing works in Russia? But this is a no-win situation for Newsom.

In fact, Californians would storm the ramparts in Sacramento if understood what was happening to their wallets. Newsom's EV mandate will cost $10,000 per vehicle sold. That’s the difference between the “average” new EV vs. a gas engine vehicle. Californians probably should do the math. There are 1.8 million new cars sold annually in the state. Who wants to pay 20% more? They'd possibly stop buying new cars, and pivot to used ones instead. But does Newsom remember the pandemic, when used car prices soared to the moon? California might then issue more edicts stopping drivers from buying used cars with the "wrong" engines too.

If Newsome is serious about making people toe his line in the sand on cars, he should immediately cancel the upcoming F1 Grand Prix race in Long Beach. Formula 1 cars have over 1,000 hp and only get 3.1 MPG, even with the mild-hybrid option. They're noisier than an F16 at takeoff. Of course, hotel and restaurant owners might object to cancellation.

Newsom may in fact believe this is a pollution issue. (he’s pivoted from saving mother earth). But there aren't enough amps, watts and volts in California's 100-year-old grid to recharge everyone’s EV at 6pm when they come home from work. The state has only allowed construction of a single new power plant since 2000. It’s the Sentinel Natural Gas plant – fossil fuel – so this new one actually makes pollution worse. For the past 25 years California has been buying out-of-state electricity to keep the lights on and refrigerators humming as demand soared.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Gavin Newsom defies Senate vote: 'Illegal'