As the world continues to turn green, and the eco-consciousness continues to rise, there is a very real push to move away from fossil fuels as quickly as possible.
This is the sentiment that has given rise to companies such as Tesla as was as the ideology that has triggered major stock market moves in the direction of renewable energy and lithium battery manufacturers.
Several traditional automotive manufacturers have suggested plans of transitioning to all-electric offerings in the next few decades, leading many to wonder what the future of the gas station may be.
In California, we are already getting a glimpse into that future.
Petaluma, California, has voted to outlaw new gas stations, the first of what climate activists hope will be numerous cities and counties to do so.
Why it matters: Expect more such ordinances, particularly in liberal towns. Grassroots groups are popping up with the mission of spreading this type of ban and forcing pollution cleanups at existing gas stations.
The movement aims to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles.
“This is not a ban on the existing gas stations, which are providing all the gas currently needed,” Matt Krogh, U.S. oil and gas campaign director for the environmental group Stand.earth, tells Axios.
“The problem with allowing new gas stations is we don’t really need them and they’re putting existing gas stations out of business.”
The move will almost certainly be met with some controversy, as automotive purists continue to rail against the coming onslaught of electric-only vehicles.
