TRENTON, NJ – It looks like New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s ambitious plan to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 just hit a major speed bump—Vice President Kamala Harris has apparently pumped the brakes on her support for an electric vehicle (EV) mandate.
Governor Murphy has been driving full speed ahead with his gas car ban, set to start phasing in by 2027. But now, with Harris reportedly backing away from this initiative, things might get a lot bumpier for him. If you thought Harris, known for her environmental advocacy, was all-in on an EV mandate, this twist probably caught you off guard.
The vice president’s campaign recently sent out an email debunking claims that Harris wants to “force every American to own an electric vehicle”
The message made it clear: Harris isn’t about that mandate life, despite her past support for stricter environmental policies when she was in the Senate.
It’s a significant shift, especially considering the Biden-Harris administration’s push for greener alternatives through initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act, which offered hefty subsidies and tax credits for electric vehicles.
But let’s be real, could this be more about politics than policy? With Trump and other Republicans rallying against the gas car ban, Harris’s team might be recalibrating their stance to appeal to a broader audience. Polls could be playing a big role here, especially if they show that the mandate is about as popular as a traffic jam during rush hour.
For Murphy, this could spell trouble. Losing support from a high-profile ally like Harris might put his ambitious climate goals on the skids. And with the 2024 election season heating up, everyone’s watching to see if this is just a temporary detour or a full-on U-turn for Harris and her campaign.
In the meantime, the EV mandate debate continues to fuel tension, and Governor Murphy might need to find another co-pilot to navigate these tricky roads ahead.