Legislators Back Aggressive Goals To AddressBarriers To Greater Adoption of EVs
ChargEVC, the diverse non-profit coalition that includes NJ CAR, utilities, consumer advocates, environmental and labor organizations, and technology companies, recently unveiled a group of initiatives the organization plans to pursue to make New Jersey a top market for electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025. Senators Bob Smith and Linda Greenstein, Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the Senate Environment & Energy Committee, as well as Assemblyman Daniel Benson, attended a State House press conference on September 13, to support ChargEVC’s initiative.
Setting goals for EV adoption and infrastructure, building charging infrastructure and providing rebates to make EVs accessible to more consumers are the top three policy action priorities in the Roadmap. Below is a list of all eight policy priorities for ChargEVC.
•Set goals for EV sales and vehicle charging infrastructure – Selling a total of 330,000 EVs by 2025 would make New Jersey compliant with its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates. This is an ambitious goal, as only 10,000 EVs had been sold in New Jersey through the end of 2016. The Roadmap also set a goal of 600 DC fast chargers throughout the State by 2020, 500 Level 2 chargers in public locations by 2025 and 50% of multi family properties and 25% of commercial properties with chargers by 2025.•Eliminate range anxiety – This is one of the biggest obstacles to greater adoption of EVs. This policy action’s aim is to implement a comprehensive program to create a critical mass of public charging options so EV drivers will never be more than 25 miles away from an accessible charging option. The goal is to replace range anxiety with range confidence.•Address the affordability gap – Establish and fund a program to provide rebates at the point of sale to incentivize consumers to purchase as many as 67,000 EVs over three years. •Ensure widespread “Right To Charge” for routine charging – Implement a program to ensure consumers are free to choose EVs without concern about their ability to charge at home or work through a variety of means that provide adequate and cost-efficient opportunities to charge EVs.•Ensure electrification reaches all communities equitably – Promote electrically-fueled fleets and mass transit options in urban areas where vehicle ownership is not as widespread.•Ensure long-term funding for the Transportation Trust Fund – After an EV grace period, begin collecting taxes on the portion of electricity used for EV charging to replace lost revenue from the “gas tax.”•Build consumer awareness – Engage consumers about the many benefits that can be realized for both consumers and air quality with the greater adoption of electric vehicles.•Implement supportive market development efforts – Implement a variety of initiatives that support the other seven policy actions.Getting more EVs on New Jersey roads will lead to massive public health, environmental, and economic benefits. Dealers, legislators, utilities, environmental and consumer groups and cutting-edge technology companies are all behind this ambitious effort, with the common goal of boosting the adoption of EVs to benefit ALL consumers.
ChargEVC will be releasing a comprehensive study in October that details the benefits of greater EV adoption for New Jersey.