Call it the opposite approach. As some states (California and Washington, for example) move to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in favor or electric vehicles, Wyoming legislators are moving in a different direction.
SJ004 would phase out electric vehicle sales by 2035 in Wyoming. The legislation calls electric vehicles "detrimental" and says "Wyoming's vast stretches of highway, coupled with a lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, make the widespread use of electric vehicles impracticable for the state."
Wyoming is home to thousands of people who work in the oil industry. It is a critical part of the state's economy.
More than a dozen states in total have moved to ban gas-powered vehicles. To prove a point, Wyoming legislators added this final section to their bill:
Section 3.That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, each member of Wyoming's congressional delegation, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the governor of Wyoming and the governor of California.
It's likely this bill was intended to get national headlines. And the legislation does reference one of the outstanding questions about the electrification of vehicles - where will we get the power and how can it possibly be delivered all at once?
A recent report concluded "electrifying a typical highway gas station will require as much power as a professional sports stadium by the year 2030. By 2035, a big truck stop serving electric rigs is expected to require as much power as an entire small town."
