On July 17, 2023, Governor Phil Murphy announced that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) filed the Advanced Clean Car II proposal with the Office of Administrative Law.
ACCII requires vehicle manufacturers to make zero emission vehicles an increasing percentage of their vehicle sales, and would align New Jersey with California regulations that mandate 100% electric vehicle sales by 2035.
The proposal is expected to be published in the August 21, 2023 New Jersey Register, which will signal the start of a public comment period until October 20, 2023. The Governor’s goal is to adopt the proposal by the end of the year.
NJ CAR commented during the stakeholder process and will file formal remarks in opposition to adopting ACCII during the upcoming public comment period.
Below is a link to Governor Murphy’s release on the ACCII proposal, as well as a statement NJ CAR issued in response to the proposal.
Governor Murphy Announces Filing of Landmark Advanced Clean Cars II Proposal
NJ CAR Statement on Filing of Advanced Clean Cars II Proposal
NJ CAR President Jim Appleton issued the following statement in connection with Governor Murphy’s announcement regarding the filing of the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) proposal.
“New Jersey’s neighborhood new car and truck dealerships agree that we must move aggressively to transition from ICE to electric vehicles, but disagree with the Murphy Administration’s approach.”
“Adopting ACCII, when other options are available, will harm New Jersey consumers. The Governor’s plan will make new cars virtually unaffordable for working and middle-class consumers and will severely limit vehicle consumer choice. ACCII requires manufacturers to deliver sharply increasing numbers of electric vehicles — and eventually ONLY electric vehicles — into the State, regardless of what consumers want to buy, what they can afford or what vehicle meets their specific needs.”
“New car dealers in New Jersey want to sell what consumers want to buy. Indeed, the 500+ franchised dealerships already offer more than 40 vehicles with a plug and, in just a few years, that number will grow to 140 options in every vehicle category and at every price point.”
“EVs are being considered by a growing number of car buyers, but many consumers still have serious concerns about affordability and access to public charging infrastructure. Especially those who live in urban areas or multiple-unit dwellings.”
“More and more New Jersey consumers are thinking about buying an EV, but consumer interest in EVs is nowhere near the levels mandated by the California architects of ACCII. New Jersey is NOT California.”
“The governor’s plan to adopt ACCII would limit New Jersey consumer choice, drive up new vehicle costs and ultimately frustrate our shared goal of transforming the current vehicle fleet from internal combustion engine (ICE) to EV.”
“Rising new and used vehicle prices are a major driver of inflation and adopting this policy will be like throwing fuel on the fire. By taking away ICE vehicle options for New Jersey consumers, this policy will lead automakers to send ONLY their most expensive and profitable ICE vehicles here, in order to push reluctant buyers to more expensive EVs that may not meet their individual needs.”
“This heavy-handed government approach is likely to backfire, forcing manufacturers to send fewer vehicles to New Jersey, which will lead to consumers buying fewer new cars and holding on to their current ICE vehicles longer.”
“Consumers will decide when New Jersey becomes a 100% EV market, NOT government decision-makers or a Governor who won’t even be in office when these mandates kick in and won’t have to deal with the economic and consumer impacts of this ill-advised policy.”
“Nobody is suggesting New Jersey do NOTHING to address emissions. If we choose to NOT adopt ACCII, New Jersey would eventually be subject to the more stringent EPA plan recently proposed by the Biden Administration, which addresses our emission concerns while offering more flexibility for automakers and preserving consumer choice.”