Senator Robert Singer and Assemblymen Sean Kean and Edward Thomson said Governor Murphy and Trenton Democrats are making New Jersey even more unaffordable through a new mandate that requires car manufacturers to only sell zero-emission electric vehicles in New Jersey by 2035.

District 30 Lawmakers said Gov. Murphy and Trenton Democrats are making New Jersey even more unaffordable through a new mandate that requires car manufacturers to only sell zero-emission electric vehicles in New Jersey by 2035. (Pixabay)

“Governor Murphy’s radical ban on gas-powered vehicles is an outrageous abuse of power that only caters to the rich. When you have people that are living on fixed incomes, they simply cannot afford to replace their affordable gas-powered vehicle with a more expensive electric car,” said Sen. Singer. “It is entirely unfair for the governor to dictate what vehicles must be sold in the state while he’s chauffeured in the very vehicles he’s trying to ban. This is another example of how Governor Murphy and Trenton Democrats are making New Jersey more unaffordable.”

Governor Murphy announced in a press release on Monday that he was filing a rule that would force car manufacturers to phase out gas-powered vehicles from their sales in New Jersey.

This rule would require “vehicle manufacturers to make zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) an increasing percentage of their new light-duty vehicle sales, ramping up to 100% ZEVs by 2035.”

The governor also said the rule “does not impose any obligations on consumers or car dealers.”

District 30 lawmakers warned that this rule would force seniors to move out of the state by requiring them to replace their affordable gas-powered cars with expensive electric vehicles.

“Every year, we have seen tens of thousands of New Jerseyans flee the state due to tax increases and high living costs. How can we expect seniors to retire knowing that they will be forced to replace their car with a vehicle that costs more than $60,000,” Asm. Kean questioned. “The answer is simple, they won’t. The governor is ignoring the astronomical financial burden that his mandates will place on working families and seniors in New Jersey.”

Assembly and Senate Republicans have characterized Governor Murphy’s extreme Energy Master Plan as unrealistic. Assemblyman Thomson said on top of higher energy costs, the state’s electric grid is fragile and cannot supply the amount of energy required to power millions of electric vehicles by 2035.

“The energy grid is struggling to keep up with consumer demands as it is. Never mind the fact that the added strain of charging more EVs will cause energy costs to skyrocket for utility customers,” stated Asm. Thomson. “We know that Governor Murphy likes to follow California’s lead, but the impact of energy brownouts and blackouts pose a significant risk to the lives of seniors. We cannot allow similar misguided policies to take effect here in New Jersey.”