News/Commentary

Another blue state embraces full transition to electric vehicles – sets 2035 deadline

October 18, 2023 | | Print Article

Every state government agency in New Mexico will have to make the full transition to electric vehicles by 2035 under new orders from Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

She issued the executive order on Monday and made an announcement during the  state Department of Transportation’s Symposium on the Future of Transportation in New Mexico.

“The fact of the matter is that consumers and dealers want better access to electric vehicles, and the actions we’ve taken through Clean Car rules and now tax credits are leveling the playing field,” Lujan Grisham said. “I also took action today to make sure the state is ‘walking the walk’ when it comes to widely adopting low- and zero-emission vehicles by requiring the state fleet to be zero-emission by 2035.”

The Democrat declared that “the state fleet will be 100% electric” by 2035.

“The state typically does better at bossing you around than it does about doing it itself,” she joked even as she issued the order that will force compliance in state agencies and ahead of pushing legislation that will offer electric vehicle tax credits in New Mexico.

“We have to think about ways to create opportunity for the folks selling those vehicles, whether that’s a dealer or an individual,” Lujan Grisham said. “And we have to think about ways to make sure that individuals have access to that marketplace, but also that they’ve got opportunities to do the charging right at their own homes. … Those things have to all be connected.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Those tax credits reportedly “would apply to new and used electric vehicles to help meet the state’s and the country’s climate goals,” according to a news release from the governor’s office, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Fox News reported:

The executive order, in particular, directs all departments and agencies to purchase EVs for all new vehicles. The order, though, includes exemptions for law enforcement vehicles, firefighting trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles.

Earlier this year, Lujan Grisham issued so-called Clean Car rules, which mandate that automakers deliver an increasing percentage of new, zero-emission cars and light-duty trucks for sale in New Mexico each year beginning in 2026. Model year 2027 vehicles sold in 2026 must be 43% zero-emissions, a percentage that progressively increases until 2031 when 82% of model year 2032 cars sold in the state must be zero-emissions.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

“These rules will speed up much-needed investment in New Mexico’s electric vehicle and clean hydrogen fueling infrastructure, create new job opportunities and, most importantly, result in cleaner and healthier air for all New Mexicans to breathe,” Lujan Grisham had said back in July.

New Mexico has recently been able to secure $700 million in Charging Fuel Infrastructure grants so as to increase EV charging stations and has gotten funding to the tune of $10 million from the American Recovery Plan Act.

Social media users strongly related the governor’s announcement, coming on the heels of other Democrat-run states doing the same.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Frieda Powers
Latest posts by Frieda Powers (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles