Statement: RGGI Delivers Again: NJEDA Expands Electric Truck Incentive Program with Awards Additional $9 Million To NJZIP for the greater New Brunswick area, Diesel Truck Voucher Program

Trenton – The NJ Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) announced that it will be expanding the NJZIP pilot program due to the success of the first phase of the voucher program. NJZIP is a medium-duty zero-emission truck voucher program funded by the auction proceedings from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Phase One was given $15 million to incentivize businesses and institutions in the greater Newark and Camden areas to purchase medium-duty electric vehicles with vouchers of up to 100% of the incremental cost of the vehicles. Today, NJEDA is expanding the pilot to include the greater New Brunswick area with an additional $9.25 million.

In the first nine months of the NJZIP pilot program, the NJEDA has received 38 applications for 148 zero-emission medium-duty vehicles worth almost the full $15 million. This was the first concrete program created by the Murphy Administration to tackle medium- and heavy-duty vehicle emissions after signing a regional MOU last July to electrify these vehicles, with a goal of 30% of new truck purchases being electric by 2030. Assuming the NJZIP program continues to be successful, NJEDA will continue to expand the pilots or turn it into a long-term program and expand the eligibility requirements.

Hayley Berliner, Clean Energy Associate with Environment New Jersey issued the following statement: 

“Diesel trucks are a public health and climate scourge, and we need to move to an electrification future for these vehicles. The expanded NJZIP program will continue to deliver electric trucks onto New Jersey roads, and this is another great step forward for New Jersey to reduce air pollution, make our residents healthier, and reduce our impact on the climate. 

“This is a sign that RGGI is a program that delivers — both by putting a price on power plant pollution and then incentivizing technology to reduce ground-level air pollutants. We are encouraged by the quick success of the NJZIP program and look forward to working with NJEDA to create more funding opportunities to electrify diesel vehicles across New Jersey in the near future.”

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