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California and Africa have set the blueprint for a new model of international climate cooperation—a unique climate and economic partnership with Kenya and Nigeria delivering policy certainty, affordable technology and unlocking catalytic capital.

•  Markets do not crash. Supply and demand shift. Both shifted in Q1 2026, but they did not shift by the same amount.

•  California EV share fell from 21 percent in 2025 to 13.7 percent in Q1 2026, a 35 percent drop. National EV sales fell 27 percent year over year.

•  The cliff was forecast. The Trump administration spent 2025 dismantling the policy stack: California waivers revoked, CAFE penalties zeroed, EV tax credit expired September 30.

A global second-hand vehicle market, largely invisible to many people in the US, affects the economy, transportation, public health, and environment in the countries where the vehicles end up and their countries of origin. As increasing numbers of exported, used vehicles are hybrid and electric, their operation in importing countries can help reduce local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the disposal and recycling of spent batteries pose significant risks, particularly in regions that lack the infrastructure needed for safe handling.

The Yolo 80 Corridor Improvements Project between Davis and Sacramento has been underway for months. The current phase of the project involves the construction of modern concrete median barriers along with a widening of the paved shoulders for safety purposes. Assuming legal actions do not interfere, the second phase of the project will use that extra pavement to add a fourth lane in each direction.

California faced a considerable budget deficit this year, but the transportation sector saw both windfalls and cuts.

Despite recent federal policy changes, California still has an opportunity to transition to a zero emission transportation system, and, according to our new study, doing so will save the state and its citizens about $300 billion dollars over the next 25 years. But time is of the essence–the State will need to redouble its policy efforts to achieve these benefits. Allowing the transition to be delayed by even a few years will reduce the savings by billions.

California’s gasoline prices have been a topic of intense discussion in recent months, with some prominent voices repeatedly asserting they will jump 65 cents per gallon in July, due to changes in California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). This number has been repeatedly cited in media discussions and raised in speeches on the floor of the California Legislature.

A price hike of that magnitude would certainly be problematic for many Californians, but the key question is: How likely is it that prices will actually jump that much?

Answer: Not at all likely.

The North American automotive industry is undergoing a transformation driven by the electric vehicle (EV) transition, post-pandemic supply chain shifts, and increasing US protectionism. As the largest vehicle supplier to the US, Mexico faces both opportunities and risks in this evolving landscape. With 42% of its passenger vehicle production tied to US automakers and nearly 70% of its total output destined for the US, Mexico’s automotive industry is particularly vulnerable to the recently announced 25% tariffs on Mexican auto imports.

The global shift to electric vehicles is in high gear, but it remains uncertain whether the US will reap the benefits of being a global leader in this transition. Putting the brakes on progress now would put hundreds of billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs across the US at risk, and it would allow foreign manufacturers to gain a competitive edge over the US auto industry. Scaling back deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) would also undermine efforts to limit climate change.

Note: this article was updated on Oct 1 after the Governor signed/vetoed all bills.