F-150 Lightning

Make
Ford
Segment
Sports Car

New Jersey's Governor, Phil Murphy, has set a series of zero emissions targets for what he calls the "Next New Jersey." We would have gone with Nouveau Jersey but to each his own.

While not going as far as banning traditional ICE cars like California and New York, Murphy is heading in that direction. The press release specifically mentions the adoption of California's Advanced Clean Cars II act. Every state intent on moving to zero emissions has used this act as a blueprint.

Murphy mentions six major pillars for the Next New Jersey, one of which is Advanced Clean Cars II. Like the rest, the governor wants all new cars and light-duty truck sales to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2035.

Other pillars include 100% clean energy sold in the state by 2035, zero-carbon-emission heating and cooling systems in 400,000 homes and 20,000 commercial properties, enhanced flood protection, and $70 million in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction proceeds going toward upfront costs for consumers who buy a medium- or heavy-duty EV. We assume this refers to vehicles like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T, as manufacturers have no intention of electrifying heavy-duty trucks due to poor towing range.

The RGGI is an initiative to cut emissions at fossil-fueled power plants. In short, emissions limits are placed on these plants, and they can effectively buy an increased limit at an auction. According to the RGGI, it has raised $6 billion so far. We mention these power plants, as they're crucial to running an EV in New Jersey, and part of the reason why this author believes there's no such thing as a zero-emissions car, despite the language the government insists on using in their press releases.

"These bold targets and carefully crafted initiatives signal our unequivocal commitment to swift and concrete climate action today," said Governor Murphy. "We've turned our vision for a greener tomorrow into a responsible and actionable roadmap to guide us, and it's through that pragmatic, evidence-based approach that we will ultimately arrive at our destination."

Next New Jersey will undoubtedly use billions in federal funds President Biden has to allocate since the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Nevada received $700 million to back a new lithium mine, and $900 million is being spent on improving EV charging infrastructure across all 50 states.