The Advanced Clean Truck Rule Is BAD for New Jersey NJ CAR Continues Fighting for a Two-Year Delay NJ CAR President Laura Perrotta, as well as Coalition members Frank Pezzolla (Frank’s Truck Center), Douglas Hoover (Hoover Truck & Bus Centers), Romolo Gabrielli (Gabrielli Kenworth of New Jersey), Joseph Cambria (Cambria Truck Center), Spencer Campbell (Campbell Supply Company), and Jack Licata (North Jersey Truck Center) testified in front of the Assembly Transportation Committee in December in support of Bill A4967: Legislation that would delay implementation of the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) Rule for two years. Laura, Frank, Douglas, Romolo, Joseph, Spencer, and Jack focused on the economic challenges, operational limitations, and other negative impacts implementing ACT will have on New Jersey auto retailers, their customers, and the entire Garden State economy. The legislation was voted out of committee unanimously, but it still has a long way to go before it becomes law. The Assembly bill continues to await a full Assembly vote, while the companion Senate bill (S3817), sponsored by Senators Patrick Diegnan and Vin Gopal, has been referenced to the Senate Environmental Committee hearing but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. BACKGROUND ON ACT The ACT Rule went into effect on January 1, 2025, and mandates the sale of an increasing number of zero-emission Class 2B through Class 8 trucks. Keep in mind that the ACT Rule doesn’t just impact the big 18-wheelers. Several popular pick-up models, such as the Chevrolet Silverado 2500, the Dodge Ram 2500, and the Ford F-250, are considered Class 2B vehicles (GVW of 8,501‑10,000 pounds). This timeline is unrealistic and will be devastating for New Jersey dealers and the buyers who rely on Class 2B through Class 8 trucks if the Rule’s implementation is allowed to proceed. The state has a different (and wholly flawed) view of the impact ACT will have on dealers and truck purchasers. According to a recent NJDEP memo, “… the (ACT) rule does not apply to New Jersey’s truck dealers, purchasers, or operators,” and “… manufacturers are well ahead of their 2024 EV sales obligations.” The ACT mandates are so stringent that they have already forced several manufacturers to ration clean diesel trucks they allocate to their New Jersey franchisees, resulting in a dwindling inventory with severely limited options for many truck buyers. All this will do is cause many businesses to hold on to their old, less efficient trucks instead of upgrading them to a new, cleaner diesel truck that meets their needs. New Jersey is simply not ready for the ACT Rule for several reasons. • Lack of Infrastructure: New Jersey lacks the necessary commercial charging stations for medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles. There are currently NO public heavy-duty chargers available in New Jersey. • Economic Challenges: Electric trucks are prohibitively expensive, averaging $500,000 compared to $180,000-$200,000 for diesel trucks. Manufacturers have not ramped up production of electric trucks (particularly specialized models), with delivery times going as long as 18 months. • Operational Limitations: Electric trucks average 150 miles per charge, far below the 1,500-mile range of diesel trucks and charging can take up to 10 hours, compared to 15 minutes for refueling diesel. Additionally, the battery weight adds as much as 8,000 pounds to the vehicle’s weight, which reduces the cargo that can be carried, resulting in MORE trucks on the road. New Jersey’s medium and heavy-duty truck dealers want to sell what their customers want to buy. However, there is currently not nearly enough demand for electric trucks to meet the ACT mandates, nor is New Jersey’s infrastructure ready to support these vehicles. NJ CAR continues to fight to pass A4967 and will soon launch both a grassroots campaign to encourage legislators to support the delay, as well as a public relations campaign to inform the public about how the ACT Rule will negatively impact New Jersey truck buyers and the many industries that rely upon trucks to provide a wide variety of products and services for Garden State consumers. 14 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
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