Earlier this month, Governor Hochul’s first budget address included major investments in the Environmental Protection Fund, offshore wind, along with many other NYLCV priorities that deliver on climate.
However, with transportation being a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in New York -accounting for ⅓ of total emissions – the announcement lacked adequate plans of action to get more electric vehicles on the road.
NYLCV has partnered with the Alliance for Clean Energy and several other stakeholders to push for the Governor to include legislation that allows for the direct sales of electric vehicles in her 30-day budget amendments.
Direct sales is a policy that unites environmental, consumer, and free-market interests and is shown to be an instrumental policy for increasing EV sales at no cost to the taxpayer. It allows EV manufacturers to sell directly to consumers. NYLCV and our partners believe that New York will not achieve the bold goals set to reduce emissions and combat climate change without this policy.
Through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) New York is required to achieve a carbon-free electricity system by 2040, and committed to the goals of 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from 1990 levels by 2030, and 85% by 2050. On top of this, in 2014, New York established the goal of having 850,000 zero emissions vehicles on the road by 2025, and 2 Million by 2030. Despite aggressive investments in charging and incentive programs, New York has only achieved 3% of the 2030 goal.
Direct sales will also impact more than just passenger vehicles. Medium and heavy duty trucks account for a quarter of nationwide emissions. New York’s newly adopted Advanced Clean Trucks Rule (ACT) requires incremental increases in the adoption of zero emissions medium and heavy duty models. Without direct sales, New York will face significant difficulties doing its part to greatly reduce emissions through the ACT Rule.
New York has already committed to expanding EV infrastructure and increasing incentives for consumers to switch to this zero emission alternative. Yet, we are still lagging behind other states, who have taken similar measures with less incentives, and have yielded higher rates of adoption to EVs.
Currently, 31 states allow some form of direct sales, of which 22 allow for uncapped sales. New York State Law only allows one manufacturer of zero emission electric vehicles to sell out of five direct sales locations for all of New York State – this cap of five stores was put in place in 2014.
New York’s climate goals cannot be achieved without a significant and rapid increase in the adoption of electric vehicles. This is why NYLCV is making direct sales a priority in this year’s legislation session and budget.
By Abby Terrigino