Both houses of the New Jersey Legislature (Senate and Assembly) have passed a bill (S2252/A4819) that establishes goals and incentives for increased use of plug-in electric vehicles in NJ. The Governor is expected to sign it.

Specifically, the bill sets a goal of at least 330,000 of the total number of registered light duty vehicles in the State being plug-in electric vehicles by 31 December 2025. This increases to 2 million by the end of 2035. By the end of 2040, at least 85% of all new light duty vehicles sold or leased in the State are to be plug-in electric vehicles.

According to EVAdoption, the stock of plug-ins (BEV and PHEV) in New Jersey as of 31 Dec 2018 was 25,945 units.

New Jersey defines “plug-in electric vehicle” as a vehicle that has a battery or equivalent energy storage device that can be charged from an electricity supply external to the vehicle with an electric plug. The definition includes plug-in hybrids.

On the infrastructure side, the bill specifies that by the end of 2025:

• At least 400 DC Fast Chargers shall be available for public use at no fewer than 200 charging locations in the State.

• At least 75 of the 200 or more charging locations shall be at travel corridor locations, equipped with at least two DC Fast Chargers per location, each capable of providing at least 150 kilowatts of charging power, and no more than 25 miles between the charging locations.

• At least 100 of the 200 or more charging locations shall be community locations, equipped with at least two DC Fast Chargers per location, each capable of providing 50 kilowatts of charging power or more, and 150 24 kilowatts or more where feasible.

• At least 1,000 Level Two chargers shall be available for public use across the State, and after initial installation, those EVSE may be upgraded to higher power or DC Fast Chargers as appropriate by the owner or operator of the EVSE.

• At least 15% of all multi- family residential properties in the State shall be equipped with EVSE for the routine charging of plug-in electric vehicles by residents through a combination of Level One EVSE, Level Two EVSE, or charger-ready parking spaces, which collectively shall serve a percentage of resident parking spaces equal to the percentage of light duty vehicles registered in the State that are plug-in electric vehicles at the end of the preceding calendar year, or the percentage of vehicles owned by residents that are plug-in electric vehicles, whichever is higher. By 31 December 2030, 30% of all multi-family properties shall be equipped for electric vehicle charging as described above.

• 20% of all franchised overnight lodging establishments shall be equipped with EVSE for routine electric vehicle charging by guests of the establishment by providing Level Two EVSE. This climbs to 50% by the end of 2030.

The bill also mandates that by the end of 2025, at least 25% of State-owned non-emergency light duty vehicles shall be plug-in electric vehicles. This climbs to 100% by 31 December 2035 and thereafter.

The bill also specifies the implementation of a light-duty plug-in electric vehicle incentive program for 10 years, up to a maximum $5,000 per eligible vehicle.

The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) would implement this incentive program and provide at least $30 million in disbursements under the program each year. Any incentive offered under this program would take the form of a one-time payment to the purchaser or lessee of an eligible vehicle.

An “eligible vehicle” is any new light duty plug-in electric vehicle with an MSRP of below $55,000 purchased or leased after the effective date of the bill and registered in New Jersey.

In addition to the light duty plug-in electric vehicle incentive program established in the bill, the BPU would be authorized to establish and implement an incentive program for the purchase and installation of in-home electric vehicle service equipment.

The New Jersey Legislature just passed the most significant legislation in more than 15 years to reduce air pollutants and global warming pollution from our cars and trucks since the passage of the Clean Cars bill in 2004. This bill will make New Jersey a leading state in electrifying our transportation sector and move towards a future of zero tailpipe emissions from our vehicles.

—Doug O’Malley, President of ChargEVC and Director of Environment New Jersey

This bill represents a long-overdue commitment on the part of State government to put money where its mandates are. New Jersey’s Clean Car, law enacted 15 years ago, mandates an ever-increasing number of electric vehicle sales in the State. The cash-on-the-hood incentives and infrastructure investment provided by this legislation demonstrate a real commitment to accelerate the electric vehicle market in New Jersey.

—Jim Appleton, Officer of ChargEVC and President of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers