Standard will ensure 100% of new cars sold in state will be zero-emission or plug-in hybrid by 2035
ALBANY, NY, September 29, 2022 – Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), and electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, commended Governor Kathy Hochul for committing New York to adopt the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule. Building upon the original 2012 ACC program, ACC II establishes a year-by-year roadmap to ensure 100% of new cars and light trucks sold in New York will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) by 2035.
“Adopting this program sends a loud and clear message to carmakers that New Yorkers want electric vehicles,” said Leah Meredith, Principal at AEE. “With electric vehicles in high demand but currently in short supply, carmakers are prioritizing the states that speak up, and the Governor’s announcement helps ensure that New Yorkers will have the full range of electric vehicle models to choose from. And by increasing the number of new electric vehicles in New York, this program will also quicken the development of a robust market for used electric vehicles.”
“Rivian applauds Governor Hochul for advancing regulations that will help New York achieve 100% new EV sales by 2035,” said Chris Nevers, Senior Director, Public Policy at Rivian, an AEE member company. “We now urge the state to finalize these rules before the end of the year to avoid implementation delays that could stall the EV transition.”
The announcement could also lead to more job opportunities in New York. AEE’s newly published New York Advanced Energy Jobs Fact Sheet shows that, as of 2021, 11,300 people worked in New York’s advanced vehicles sector, which includes employment related to hybrid, electric, and fuel cell vehicles; EV jobs alone grew 25% in New York from 2020 to 2021. A 2019 white paper on the EV Supply Chain commissioned by AEE projected that by 2024, workers in the electric transportation sector in New York would increase 32% over the next five years.
“Governor Hochul’s announcement will attract a new wave of private investment in New York,” added Meredith. “While the program applies only to automakers, the entire automotive industry, including charging infrastructure manufacturers, now know there will be a large market for their cutting-edge technologies in New York. Combined with the historic transportation investments made by Congress last month in the Inflation Reduction Act, which included millions in tax credits for car buyers, New Yorkers are poised to benefit from a transportation system that is more affordable and less polluting. AEE looks forward to working with Governor Hochul’s administration, NYSERDA, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and other stakeholders to make sure New York can affordably and equitably leave polluting vehicles behind.”
Automakers are responding to state policies and consumer demand. America’s two largest automakers, General Motors and Ford, are committed to going all-electric by 2035. Others, including Volvo, Nissan, and Volkswagen, have also committed to moving quickly to electrify their fleets. Adopting this rule for new vehicles will also go a long way toward empowering the state to meet its commitments under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which mandates carbon emission reductions from all sectors of New York’s economy of 40% by 2030, and 85% by 2050.
In addition to this commitment, New York is investing in electrified transportation in the form of NYSERDA's Drive Clean Rebate Program, zero-emission vehicle and charging infrastructure grants through DEC's Climate Smart Communities Municipal Grant Program, as well as the "EV Make Ready" initiative, and NYPA's EVolve NY charging infrastructure program. These investments will now also be supported by DOT's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) charging infrastructure program to help expand EV use, which includes $175 million in newly awarded federal funding for New York provided by Congress’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.