Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes State goals for adoption of plug-in electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure; directs DEP and various other State agencies to develop programs to achieve those goals.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning electric vehicles and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities.
"Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.
"DC Fast Charger" means a device that provides direct current electrical power to a plug-in electric vehicle through a standardized connector, is able to charge a 60 kilowatt-hour battery to 80 percent capacity in 20 minutes or less, is approved for installation under the National Electric Code, and has Underwriters Laboratories certification or an equivalent certification.
"Level 2 Charger" means a device that provides a plug-in electric vehicle with single phase alternating current electrical power at 208-240 volts of alternating current (VAC), at up to 80 amps, through a standardized plug connector that is compliant with the Society of Automotive Engineers' standard SAE J1772, or an equivalent wireless power transfer interface, and which is approved for installation under the National Electric Code and has Underwriter Laboratory Certification or an equivalent certification.
"Plug-in electric vehicle" means a vehicle that includes a battery or equivalent energy storage device that can be charged from an electricity supply external to the vehicle.
2. a. Within one year after the effective date of this act, the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Department of Community Affairs, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall develop and begin to implement policies and programs to achieve the following goals concerning plug-in electric vehicles:
(1) (a) By December 31, 2025, at least 330,000 of all registered vehicles in the State shall be plug-in electric vehicles, (b) by December 31, 2035, at least two million of all registered vehicles in the State shall be plug-in electric vehicles, and (c) by December 31, 2040, at least 90 percent of all new vehicles sold in the State shall be plug-in electric vehicles;
(2) (a) By December 31, 2020, at least 600 DC Fast Chargers shall be available for public use at 300 locations or more in the State, and (b) at least 100 of the DC Fast Chargers shall be located on, or within one quarter mile of, a State highway or federal interstate highway, with no more than 25 miles between charging locations;
(3) By December 31, 2020, at least 500 Level 2 Chargers shall be available for public use in the State;
(4) By December 31, 2025, (a) at least 50 percent of all multifamily properties in the State shall have Level 2 Chargers or shall be charger ready for use by residents, (b) at least 25 percent of all commercial properties in the State shall have Level 2 Chargers for use by employees, and (c) at least 50 percent of all hotels, motels, or other overnight lodging establishments shall have Level 2 Chargers for use by persons staying at the establishment; and
(5) (a) By December 31, 2025, at least 40 percent of all State-owned light duty vehicles shall be plug-in electric vehicles, and (b) by December 31, 2035 and thereafter, 100 percent of all State-owned light duty vehicles shall be plug-in electric vehicles.
b. By December 31, 2025, the department shall, in consultation with other State agencies and stakeholders as the department deems appropriate, establish plug-in electric vehicle adoption and infrastructure development goals for medium-duty and heavy-duty on-road diesel vehicles, consistent with the state of plug-in electric vehicle technology and the maximum rate of market adoption for considered feasible at that point in time for those vehicles.
c. The department shall, in consultation with the board, other State agencies, and stakeholders as the department deems appropriate, implement a Statewide marketing and consumer awareness program to educate consumers about the availability and benefits of plug-in electric vehicles, public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and any State or federal programs or policies that incentivize consumer purchase of plug-in electric vehicles, as needed to achieve the goals established in this section.
d. No later than January 1, 2020, and every five years thereafter, until January 1, 2050, the department shall prepare and submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, a report that assesses the state of the plug-in electric vehicle market in New Jersey, measures the State's progress toward the goals established in this section and by the department pursuant to subsection b. of this section, identifies barriers to the achievement of those goals, and makes recommendations for legislation or other action by the Legislature to address those barriers.
3. The Board of Public Utilities shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure of all types in order to achieve the goals established in this act. The board shall work with electric public utilities and the competitive market for plug-in electric vehicle charging equipment and services to ensure equitable access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure for all ratepayers and responsible integration of that infrastructure into the electric grid.
4. The Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Department of Community Affairs, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), such rules and regulations as may be necessary for implementation of this act.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish State goals for the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure in New Jersey. The bill would also direct the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and various other State agencies to develop and begin to implement policies and programs to achieve these goals.
The bill would direct the DEP, in consultation with the BPU, other State agencies, and stakeholders, to implement a Statewide marketing and consumer awareness program to educate consumers about the availability and benefits of plug-in electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and policies and programs that incentivize consumer purchase of plug-in electric vehicles. The DEP would be required, every five years, to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature that assesses the state of the plug-in electric vehicle market in New Jersey, measures the State's progress toward the goals established in the bill, identifies barriers to the achievement of those goals, and makes policy recommendations.
The bill would also direct the BPU to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure of all types in order to achieve the goals established in the bill. The board would be authorized to work with electric public utilities and the competitive market for plug-in electric vehicle charging equipment and services to ensure equitable access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure for all ratepayers, and the responsible integration of that infrastructure into the electric grid. The bill would direct the DEP, the BPU, and various other State agencies to adopt any rules necessary for implementation of the bill.