Murphy Administration to require all new car sales to be electric by 2035

the staff of the Ridgewood Blog

Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today announced the filing of the Advanced Clean Cars II rule for adoption on December 18, setting the state on the road toward better air quality and cleaner choices for new car buyers while combatting the worsening climate crisis. New Jersey joins a growing number of states that are requiring vehicle manufacturers to make zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) an increasing percentage of their new light-duty vehicle sales beginning in model year 2027, ramping up to 100% ZEVs by 2035.

The rule does not impose obligations on consumers or car dealers and provides compliance flexibilities for manufacturers. It requires manufacturers of passenger cars and light-duty trucks to meet an annual ZEV requirement intended to increase the percentage of electric vehicles sold in New Jersey. The rule also ensures that traditional gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles are manufactured to meet more stringent exhaust emission standards, which will positively impact air quality in New Jersey communities, especially those near high-traffic corridors. The rule will take effect starting in model year 2027, providing time for auto industry transition and continued development of charging infrastructure and a more robust and cleaner electrical grid in New Jersey. It does not ban gasoline cars, nor does it force consumers to buy EVs. Rather, the rule will provide certainty to vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, utilities, and charging infrastructure companies to make the long-term investments that will be crucial to large-scale deployment of light-duty ZEVs and consumer choice.

“By filing the landmark Advanced Clean Cars II rule, New Jersey builds upon its standing as a national leader in climate action and its participation in the global Accelerating to Zero commitment,” said Governor Murphy. “The steps we take today to lower emissions will improve air quality and mitigate climate impacts for generations to come, all while increasing access to cleaner car choices. Indeed, together with my Administration’s continuing investments in voluntary electric vehicle incentives, charging infrastructure, and the green economy, these new standards will preserve consumer choice and promote affordability for hardworking New Jerseyans across the state.”

“Cleaner cars and trucks mean cleaner air for our children and families, because the tailpipes of our own vehicles are a leading cause of poor local air quality,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “As New Jersey transitions to a zero-emission vehicle future, we will improve our quality of life and public health. At the same time, we will reduce climate pollutants from the transportation sector, the greatest source of planet-warming pollution in New Jersey and the nation.”

The rule will be published in the Dec. 18 edition of the New Jersey Register. A courtesy, pre-publication copy of the rule will be posted in early December to the DEP Rules and Regulations webpage.

“The adoption of the Advanced Clean Cars II program in New Jersey is a historic and monumental step in our transition toward a cleaner transportation sector, and carbon and co-pollutant emission reductions. ACC II will provide increased consumer choice to make EV’s more accessible to New Jersey residents. This is a huge win not only for the environment, but for public health and the communities who suffer every day from the pollution from congested roadways,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We thank the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Governor Murphy for prioritizing New Jersey’s public health. We look forward to seeing a lot more zero-emission vehicles on our roads in the very near future.”

“The electric vehicle revolution is upon us, and the benefits are far-reaching — even for those who never plan to get behind the wheel of an EV. By adopting Advanced Clean Cars II standards, New Jersey is making a commitment to cleaner air, improved public health, and climate change mitigation,” said Kathy Harris, Senior Clean Vehicles and Fuels Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “Thanks to these standards, New Jersey will have avoided at least 175 premature deaths and at least 170 hospital visits from polluted air by 2050. The program will also bring cost-savings to New Jersey vehicle owners of nearly $60 billion by 2050.”

“This is a big moment for cleaner cars in New Jersey. Electric vehicles are reaching an inflection point and as we are likely experiencing the hottest year on record yet, this is the time to reduce climate pollution,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. “New Jersey was one of the first states to adopt Clean Cars standards 20 years ago and today’s decision for New Jersey to join the bevy of other states to adopt the latest Clean Cars standards will put 40% of the nation’s auto market on an accelerated EV adoption pathway. Gov. Murphy, the entire Murphy Administration and the NJDEP deserve tremendous credit for ensuring that New Jersey adopted the program this year, ensuring that more electric vehicles will be available for New Jersey drivers.”

“Today NJ takes its rightful place as a leading state in the exciting electric vehicle transformation,” said Pam Frank, ChargEVC-NJ CEO. “All of us will benefit from cleaner air and by the purchase of home-grown electricity that pumps millions of dollars back into New Jersey’s economy.”

“Adopting the Advanced Clean Cars II rule will get more clean vehicles on the roads and deliver better air quality and cost savings for New Jersey businesses and consumers,” said Alli Gold Roberts, senior director, state policy, at Ceres. “New Jersey businesses, including members of Ceres’ Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance, support ACC II because it will help them gain access to the volume and variety of EVs they need to meet their corporate sustainability and climate goals. By taking this step, Governor Murphy has solidified New Jersey’s position as a global climate leader and a smart place to do business.”

“As a network of companies committed to advancing market innovation and policy change for a more sustainable economy, we applaud the Murphy administration’s decision to adopt ACCII standards,” said Richard Lawton, Executive Director of the NJ Sustainable Business Council. “Consumers and companies are experiencing first-hand how EVs are cleaner, technologically superior, and less costly to operate and maintain than internal combustion engines. By accelerating the growth of the EV market, ACCII will spur continued investment and innovation in the transition to a clean energy transportation sector. Thanks to this decision, New Jersey can look forward to increased economic development, more good-paying jobs, and cleaner air.”

“This policy shows that New Jersey will not back down from fossil fuel industry pressure and misinformation,” said Alex Ambrose, Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective. “Adopting the Advanced Clean Cars II initiative will lead to a cleaner, greener, and safer New Jersey. Transitioning away from gas-powered vehicles means everyone in the state will breathe easier, especially those who live in communities closest to congested roads and highways. Thanks to the Murphy Administration, the Garden State is once again a leader in advancing clean energy policies.”

“The transportation sector is the largest source of climate-harming pollution in New Jersey, generating roughly 40% of our emissions. We are pleased Governor Murphy is taking important steps to advance and adopt the Advanced Car II standards to improve air quality and public health as well as saving drivers money over dirty fossil fuels from the pump,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “Not only do EVs cost less over their lifespan than a fossil-fuel powered car, they do not spew out toxic pollutants that affect the health of our communities. This is a critical moment for New Jersey to join the wave of states moving towards a clean transportation future, provide business with certainty, and to ensure New Jersey can access the full range of economic and public health benefits of the transition.”

Emissions from the transportation sector constitute the largest source of climate pollution in New Jersey at 37% of those emissions. By increasing ZEV sales and the stringency of the multi-pollutant exhaust emission standards, the state will also reduce emissions of localized air pollution from nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that will provide important public health benefits, especially in urbanized areas and overburdened communities.

With the new rule, vehicle manufacturers must ensure that 43% of their annual production volume in 2027 is ZEVs. The percentage increases each year, peaking at 100 percent in 2035 and thereafter.

The adoption of the Advanced Clean Car II rule is an evolution of rules adopted by the DEP in 2006 which incorporated, by reference, California’s ZEV requirement and emission control standards for all model year 2009 and subsequent passenger cars and light-duty trucks.

Consumer demand for electric vehicles continues to rise. The number of EVs in New Jersey has grown to more than 123,000, representing 12 percent of new vehicle sales. Since just last December, sales have surged 50 percent.

In 2007, New Jersey’s Legislature passed the Global Warming Response Act (GWRA), N.J.S.A. 26:2C-37 et seq., which recognized that climate change, primarily caused by emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, poses a threat to the planet’s ecosystems and environment.

In 2019, the Legislature amended the GWRA to require the State to develop programs to reduce emissions of both greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants through a comprehensive strategy. In 2020, the Department released the GWRA 80×50 Report, which analyzed New Jersey’s emissions reductions, evaluated the plans for further reducing emissions, and presented a set of strategies across seven emission sectors, including transportation, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 2006 levels.

A successful EV transition through the Advanced Clean Car II rule depends on adequate access to charging infrastructure and sufficient charging points across the state, including home charging, which is the most convenient and frequently used, and usually the least-cost source of electricity for charging.

The Murphy Administration, through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Board of Public Utilities, Economic Development Authority, and Department of Transportation continues to advance funding and initiatives to develop charging infrastructure. Since 2019, the State has funded 2,980 charging stations with 5,271 ports at 680 locations.

The Administration continues to work toward the development and expansion of wind, solar, energy storage, and other clean energy technologies in New Jersey, while ensuring that infrastructure, interconnection, and electricity supply meet the increased charging demand of ZEV users.

 

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