TRENTON, NJ – Despite uncertainty in the state’s future energy grid and financial problems with Danish company 0rsted and their offshore wind farm, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is still pressing forward with a gasoline car ban by 2035.
That ban would outlaw the sale of gasoline-powered cars in the state by car dealers.
This year, Murphy announced the Advanced Clean Cars II proposal, an initiative that aims to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in New Jersey by 2035.
The proposal has been submitted to the Office of Administrative Law and calls for vehicle manufacturers to increase the production of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in their new light-duty vehicle sales. The objective is to transition to 100% ZEVs by the target date. The rule allows for a credit trading mechanism to provide flexibility for manufacturers and does not place obligations on consumers or dealers.
In his 2023 Climate Address, Governor Murphy directed the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create the ACCII proposal. The proposal will be published in the August 21 edition of the New Jersey Register, starting a public comment period that will last until October 20, 2023.
In addition to the domestic proposal, New Jersey is joining the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Declaration of the Accelerating to Zero Coalition, a global initiative targeting a zero-emission vehicle future. The state is committing to Section 2C of the Declaration, reinforcing its pledge to tackle climate change.
Governor Murphy said the proposal builds on New Jersey’s leadership in climate action and aims to deliver cleaner air to the state’s residents. The recently adopted state budget has allocated $10 million to support the increasing number of electric vehicles, part of a broader $75 million commitment to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.