Poll: Most Marylanders oppose Moore’s plan to ban gas vehicle sales

More than 60% of Marylanders who participated in a recent poll said they oppose Gov. Wes Moore‘s proposal to ban new gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035.

Half of those surveyed said they strongly oppose the ban, which follows California’s plan to require that all new passenger vehicles be electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035.

In a statement this week, Moore’s office defended the plan, saying it’s part of a “clean energy revolution.”

“The electric car market is projected to grow to $137 billion over the next five years in the United States, and the governor strongly believes that Maryland needs to be a part of that growth,” Moore spokesman Carter Elliott IV said in a statement.

Elliott said that ending gas car sales could cut vehicle emissions — the largest source of greenhouse gases in the state — by 75% over the next two decades.

The poll, conducted between May 30 and June 6 by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media Services, included responses from 841 registered voters who said they were likely to vote in the 2024 general election. The margin of error for the poll is 3.5 percentage points.

A larger percentage of people said they would support ending the sale of new gas-powered vehicles if it would significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

When surveyors asked participants to consider the environmental benefits of the ban, support increased 11 percentage points among Democrats, 3 points among Republicans and 3 points among unaffiliated voters.

But support dipped when people were asked whether they favored the plan if it caused a significant increase in the average cost of a car. Opposition increased 12 percentage points among Democrats and 7 points among unaffiliated voters.

Opposition was unchanged among Republicans, 92% of whom opposed Moore’s plan.

In May, the average price paid for a new electric vehicle was about $55,500, down nearly $9,400 from May 2022, according to the vehicle valuation and research company Kelley Blue Book. The average transaction price for all new vehicles was about $48,500.

“When it comes to (electric vehicles), automakers are trying to find a balance between pricing and profitability,” Michelle Krebs, an executive analyst at Cox Automotive, which owns Kelley Blue Book, said in a statement. “EV sales in May are estimated to have increased by 4.7% compared to April and are up 44% year over year. This may be due to a combination of tax credits and manufacturer incentives that are encouraging sales.”

Incentives for electric vehicles have been on the rise, according to Kelley Blue Book.

In Maryland, Moore recently signed into law increases to state rebates for electric vehicle charging equipment.

Through 2026, electric vehicle owners can get a rebate of up to $700 to cover half the cost of buying and installing electric vehicle charging equipment.

The state can offer additional assistance to people living in multifamily housing, planned urban developments and condominiums in low- to moderate-income areas, or in overburdened or underserved communities.

The Gonzales Poll also showed that 55% of Marylanders approve of the job Moore has done as governor, while 27% disapprove and 18% didn’t offer an opinion.

The results are in line with a Goucher College Poll in May, in which Moore had a 53% approval rating.

Democrats comprise more than half of Maryland’s 4.1 million-person electorate, according to the State Board of Elections. Republicans make up about 24% and nearly 21% are unaffiliated.

While Moore doesn’t have the same level of bipartisan support enjoyed by his predecessor, former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, he’s more popular among non-Democratic voters than President Joe Biden, who has announced his campaign for a second term.

Among Republicans, 19% approve of Moore and 61% disapprove, according to the Gonzales Poll. Just 7% approve of Biden, and 91% disapprove.

Among unaffiliated voters, 47% approve of Moore and 30% disapprove.

Biden, meanwhile, received approval from 42% of unaffiliated voters and disapproval from 51%.