Concern in New Jersey about electric vehicle mandates has spurred action on the topic at the statehouse.
State lawmakers have angst about the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s adoption of the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks electric vehicle mandates. The mandates are described as closely aligning New Jersey’s vehicle electrification requirements with California’s standards.
New Jersey Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco and Republican Assemblyman Michael Torrissi Jr. have called for legislative hearings on the mandates.
“State bureaucrat employees should not be circumventing the duly elected Legislature by imposing restrictive California-style mandates on residents and businesses,” Bucco said in previous remarks. “Instead of bypassing the Legislature, we should be as transparent as possible by giving stakeholders a platform and providing them an opportunity to be part of the conversation.”
The Advanced Clean Trucks regulation is scheduled to be implemented in New Jersey on Jan. 1, 2025. The Advanced Clean Cars regulation is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
The truck regulation requires manufacturers of medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles, capping at 40% to 75% annual sales in 2035, depending on the type of vehicle sold.
In an effort to address concern from stakeholders, two bills introduced at the New Jersey statehouse call for delaying implementation of the truck regulation until at least Jan. 1, 2027.
S3817 is in the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. A4967 is in the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee.
Stakeholders share concern
Multiple New Jersey groups have voiced concern about the electric vehicle mandate for trucks.
The New Jersey Business and Industry Association said that “there are a number of credible reasons to delay these rules.”
“In a nutshell, it will cost hundreds of millions of dollars for the trucking industry, it will decimate the logistics industry, including our ports, and those costs will be passed on to consumers,” stated NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer Ray Cantor. “But above all that, the regulations are not feasible because the technology and infrastructure simply aren’t there yet for full implementation.”
New Jersey Motor Truck Association President Helder Rebelo added, “Our way of life is under attack.”
“The cost of a new electric truck is three times that of a new diesel truck, and there is neither enough charging locations nor power to supply them if there were,” Rebelo said.
Eric DeGesero, an NJMTA lobbyist, added that “the requirement to electrify trucks will result in a truckload of cost increases on New Jersey consumers, since everything gets to the store or our front door via a truck.”
Let’s work together pic.twitter.com/XiPS7fRugc
— NJMTA (@NJMTA) August 28, 2024
New Jersey not alone in calling for implementation delay
New Jersey is one of 10 states to adopt California’s truck rule. Stakeholders in multiple states are pursuing action to delay implementation.
Land Line recently covered an effort in New York to delay the state’s implementation of the electric vehicle rule.
Advanced Clean Trucks is also being challenged in federal court. State attorneys general around the country and a coalition of stakeholders, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit claiming the rule is unconstitutional. That case is pending. LL
Land Line Associate Editor Tyson Fisher contributed to this report.
More Land Line coverage of New Jersey news is available.
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