The New Jersey Business & Industry Association launched a campaign on Saturday to stop the Murphy administration’s proposed ban of the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035.
NJBIA took to the skies with a plane banner over Jersey Shore beaches urging residents to “Stop NJ’s Gas Car Ban” and to let policymakers know that the mandate will have real-world impacts on residents and the state’s economy well before 2035, and will not be affordable for many or attainable for the state as a whole.
Residents are encouraged to visit www.njbia.org/ev to voice their opposition to the ban with their local representatives.
“While we can all work to reduce carbon emissions, the ban of gas-powered cars in such an expedited time frame will put a heavy strain on the limited resources of families, businesses, government and our utilities,” said NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer Ray Cantor.
“Electric vehicles and hybrids are much more expensive than gas-powered cars up front, without even mentioning the added costs of home charging stations and volatile electricity prices. Federal and state subsidies don’t make up for those added costs and they will not be around forever. These increases unfairly target our most vulnerable residents who need reliable transportation.
“This mandate cannot and should not cripple our communities and businesses, exacerbate income inequality in our state, and remove our basic freedoms of choice for a proposal where the disadvantages outweigh any potential or perceived benefits.”
The state Department of Environmental Protection published proposed standards for the Advanced Clean Cars II rule in the New Jersey Register on Aug. 24.
Its publication kicks off a 60-day public comment period and a race to adopt the rule by the end of 2023, which would trigger EV sales requirements to start with the 2027 new car model year. An immediate state mandated target would be to have EVs comprise 43% of new car sales in New Jersey for that year.
Currently, only 8% of cars sold in New Jersey are electric vehicles.
“Even if everyone could afford an EV, New Jersey will not have the infrastructure to support such a massive network of charging stations to be built in a reliable manner in less than 12 years.” Cantor said. “Such a policy also begs the question of where all this increased electricity will be sourced from.”
In defense of the gas car ban, the Murphy administration has said consumers have the option to buy used gas cars. Or they could purchase new gas cars outside of New Jersey. However, the rule actually does not allow new gas cars to be registered from other states after 2035.
“This also sends a bad message to New Jersey businesses when they’re encouraging our consumers to go out of state to make a major purchase,” Cantor said.
Cantor added that New Jersey has the tools and resources to reduce carbon emissions without heavy-handed mandates.
“There are affordable and currently available transportation alternatives like compressed natural gas (CNG), and renewable diesel,” Cantor said. “Hydrogen vehicles are also in development.
“It should be up to consumers, not governments, to make the best choice on the transportation technology that is right for them. The stakes of this potential ban are high and implementing this rule incorrectly will undermine public confidence.”
