California: Gavin Newsom’s Electric Car Mandate Will Put 32,000 Mechanics Out of Work

Estimates by the State of California suggest that 32,000 automotive mechanics will lose their jobs by 2040 if Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to eliminate gas-powered vehicles, and transition to an all-electric vehicle fleet, is implemented.

In September 2020, as Breitbart News reported, Gov. Newsom announced his plan, as part of California’s goal of achieving 100% renewable (i.e. non-fossil fuel) energy by 2045:

Newsom said that his new executive order would “eliminate” the sales of “internal combustion engines” and move to electric vehicles — a move that he said would create jobs and allow California to “dominate” the market, and address climate change. Those who currently own gas-powered vehicles would still be allowed to operate them and to sell them on the used market.

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Newsom cited ongoing wildfires, as well several recent record-breaking high temperatures in the state, in explaining his push for “ambitious goals” — though he did not explain how reducing local emissions would affect global climate enough to affect local temperatures. California currently emits 1% of the world’s carbon emissions despite being the sixth-biggest economy.
He called the new policy an “opportunity to transform” the state’s economy, and touted the global market for zero-emission vehicles. He did not explain why the state had to ban gas-powered vehicles rather than allowing the market to operate.

CalMatters noted Tuesday that half of the state’s car mechanics can expect to be put out of work if that happens:

By 2040, the state projects that nearly 32,000 auto mechanics jobs will be lost in California, since electric vehicles need far less maintenance and repair than conventional combustion engines.

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Throughout the economy, an estimated 64,700 jobs will be lost because of the mandate, according to the California Air Resources Board’s calculations. On the other hand, an estimated 24,900 jobs would be gained in other sectors, so the estimated net loss is 39,800 jobs, a minimal amount across the state’s entire economy, by 2040.

But no single workforce in the state would be hurt more than auto mechanics: California has about 60,910 auto service technicians and mechanics, and more than half of those jobs would be lost over the next two decades if the mandate goes into effect, the air board calculates.

President Joe Biden has promised that the new, “green” economy would great “good, paying, union jobs” to replace old jobs.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.