Minnesota to repeal Clean Cars rule following legal challenge
State will stop enforcing EV sales requirements after 2025 as regulators move to withdraw emissions standards.
Minnesota has agreed to withdraw its Clean Cars rule, ending the state’s adoption of vehicle emissions and zero-emission vehicle standards previously aligned with California regulations. The decision follows a legal challenge brought by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and the Minnesota Service Station & Convenience Store Association (MSSA).
Under a stipulation and joint motion submitted to the U.S. District Court in Minnesota, state officials said they will not enforce greenhouse gas emissions standards or zero-emission vehicle requirements for vehicles produced or delivered for sale after model year 2025. The state has also initiated the formal rulemaking process to repeal the regulations.
Originally adopted in 2020, the Clean Cars rule aligned Minnesota’s vehicle emissions framework with standards established by the California Air Resources Board. The policy was designed to increase the availability of lower-emission and zero-emission vehicles in the state.
According to the filing, Minnesota regulators published a notice of intent to repeal the relevant rules on June 29 and aim to complete the process by December 31, 2026. Any future vehicle emissions standards would require a new rulemaking process, including public consultation and review.
For fuel retailers and convenience store operators, the decision removes a regulatory framework that had sought to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles through vehicle sales requirements. The outcome also highlights ongoing debate across the United States over state-level EV mandates and the future role of vehicle emissions regulations.
The move follows actions by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who in May initiated steps to dismiss the Clean Fuels Development Coalition v. Kessler case. The litigation had challenged the legality of the Clean Cars rule and was led by NACS and MSSA.
