California says new cars must be zero emission by 2035

California already accounts for the lion's share of electric vehicles in the United States, with 1.13 million of them on the state's roads or 43% of the nation's total. Photo: AFP

California ruled on Aug 25 that all new cars sold in America's most populous state must be zero emission from 2035, in what was billed as a nation-leading step to slash the pollutants that cause global warming.

The widely touted move has been hailed by environmentalists, who hope it will prod other parts of the United States to quicken the adoption of electric vehicles.