TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s 2035 gasoline powered car ban was dealt some unsettling news after the Biden administration released data showing the ambitious initiative might not be practical.
The Biden administration now plans to relax tailpipe emission limits, encouraging a more gradual transition from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). This move, reported by the New York Times and citing sources familiar with the plan, would give car manufacturers additional time to increase EV sales, deviating from the previously anticipated rapid escalation in the coming years.
According to the New York Times, the new regulation, expected to be published by early spring, will adjust the timeline for a significant rise in EV sales to post-2030. This approach contrasts with earlier discussions about imposing stringent Environmental Protection Agency regulations as early as March to drastically cut tailpipe emissions and increase the U.S. EV market share to 67% by 2032 from less than 8% in 2023.
Major automakers, including General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis—the European parent of U.S.-based brands Ram and Jeep—have expressed concerns over the feasibility of transitioning their U.S. fleets, which are heavily reliant on trucks, to EVs within the initially proposed timeframe. Citing profitability challenges and the current cost of EV technology for mainstream consumers, these companies, along with the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, have advocated for a slower increase in EV sales mandates to allow for the development of necessary charging infrastructure.
The news is not good for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who wants to force automakers to ban sales of gas-powered cars in New Jersey by 2035. Murphy’s far-fetched initiative is no longer in line with federal government expectations.