WASHINGTON—The GOP-led Senate voted Thursday to take away California’s ability to set its own tailpipe emissions standards, effectively killing the country’s biggest driver of EV investment.The vote was 51-44.

California is preparing to sue the federal government in recover its right to set vehicle emissions standards, Rob Bonta, the state’s attorney general, told TechCrunch in a statement.

Senate Republicans led the push to block California's ability to impose tough limits on car emissions — a move Democrats call unprecedented.