Charging for the Long Haul: Electric Truck Fleets Powering NJ’s Clean Energy Future

WOODBRIDGE, NJ – New Jersey is charging for the long haul as recent progress electrifying New Jersey’s transportation sector signals major steps forward, despite national attempts by the trucking industry to halt electrification of medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) fleets.

New Jersey advocates joined the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, state Department of Environmental Protection and other Murphy administration officials on Thursday at the Thomas Edison Service Area on the NJ Turnpike in Woodbridge to celebrate the ongoing clean transition of the state’s fleet.

“Electrifying our truck fleet in New Jersey is a double win for reducing deadly air toxics and climate pollutants – but we need the charging infrastructure along our major roadways to make that a reality. The NJBPU board order on medium & heavy-duty vehicle charging coupled with the federal dollars for Turnpike electrification and Port Authority charging is a whole new ball game,” said Doug O’Malley, Director, Environment New Jersey. Providing more charging for electric delivery vans, trucks, school buses and transit buses, especially for public fleets, is the path forward to clean our air and clean our fleets. Diesel air pollution is a public health menace that directly pollutes our lungs, especially in our urban communities, and these actions clearly show we are on the path for Advanced Clean Truck adoption and an electric bus and truck future.”

A robust MHD charging network is crucial for widespread EV adoption, enabling fleets to transition to cleaner technologies. Expansion of New Jersey’s MHD EV charging infrastructure will help improve air quality particularly in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color who are more likely to be exposed to these pollutants due to their disproportionate proximity to freight corridors, ports, and distribution centers.

“With historical federal investments through the Inflation Reduction Act directly supercharging electrification for our ports and major interstate corridors, and strong forward-looking state action, New Jersey is set to successfully electrify not just our trucks but also our roads,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the NJ Sierra Club. “New Jersey is one of the most densely populated states in the nation and a commuter hub for the East Coast, as such our transportation sector is NJ’s largest source of carbon emissions and air pollution. The Board’s Order for medium- and heavy-duty charging infrastructure and the millions of dollars of federal investments are huge milestones for cleaner air, healthier communities and climate action.”

New Jersey’s transportation sector accounts for nearly 40% of the state’s net greenhouse gas emissions, with MHD trucks and buses emitting a significant portion of those emissions. Collectively, New Jersey’s MHD fleet includes nearly 423,000 vehicles that annually travel more than 6.2 billion miles and consume 653 million gallons of petroleum-based fuels.

Last week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) announced the adoption of minimum filing requirements directing the state’s investor-owned electric distribution companies to propose programs expanding charging access for MHD electric vehicles (EVs) and fleets.

“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership and in coordination with New Jersey’s Electrical Distribution Companies, the NJBPU remains at the forefront of advancing smart, clean transportation initiatives and infrastructure that provide considerable health and environmental benefits,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “Last week’s Board action represents a major milestone in the effort to secure clean air for all New Jerseyans, especially those living in overburdened communities who have borne the brunt of air pollution and its negative health effects for far too long.”

The day of NJBPU’s adoption, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced the arrival of nearly $250 million to deploy EV charging infrastructure for commercial zero-emission MHD vehicles along the Interstate-95 freight corridor. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program is a multistate collaboration with New Jersey as the lead with Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland supporting.

“Through efforts such as the EPA’s $250 Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program and the $310 million the state has invested so far in truck electrification, New Jersey is paving the way for a cleaner trucking transportation future,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “It is more important than ever to build charging infrastructure and incentivize the smooth transition to an electrified trucking fleet in a manner that is responsible, protects our economy, and ultimately results in cleaner and healthier air.”

“The BPU’s MHD EV charging program is a key piece of New Jersey’s whole-of-government approach to transportation electrification,” said Eric Miller, Executive Director of the Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy. “With this program and significant funding awards from the federal government, New Jersey is well-positioned to meet its commitments under the Global Warming Response Act and our Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule.”

“Transportation remains New Jersey’s largest source of harmful air pollution. Not only would electrification of medium and heavy duty dirty diesel trucks create good local green jobs and reduce our toxic dependency on fossil fuels, but it would also minimize public health impacts and mitigate the effects of climate change. We simply cannot afford to wait,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. “We applaud the BPU and DEP for taking bold action to advance important charging infrastructure and to reduce dirty diesel pollution spewed into our air along Interstate 95. This action will improve air quality particularly in low-income and communities of color already grappling with disproportionate health impacts. The legislature should dismiss any attempts to slow implementation and keep overburdened communities choking on toxic air.”

Tremendous progress in New Jersey comes amid national efforts by the trucking industry to reverse and delay implementation of Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulations requiring MHD manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles. NJDEP adopted ACT regulations in 2021.

“No reason to put the brakes on NJ’s Advanced Clean Truck rule with nearly $250 million in federal funds for charging infrastructure in hand, BPU Straw Proposal recently adopted, and a variety of proven electric trucks available for sale,” said Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director, Clean Water Action. “New Jersey is now ready to switch into high gear – electrify goods movement, lower climate accelerating pollutants and most importantly reduce dirty diesel impacts in our already overburdened lungs, communities, ports and workplaces. This has been a long time coming. Congratulations NJ. The governor’s ‘whole-of-government approach to reducing harmful emissions’ is working, and it’s electric!”

“If you repeat a falsehood enough times, it starts to become a truth. We know some things about false information living in today’s world – let’s not fall for it. We can and will electrify our trucks and buses and need not delay,” said Pam Frank, CEO, ChargEVC. “Our leaders have an obligation to separate fact from fiction. The ball is in motion. The infrastructure is being built now, and more is coming. Regulations provide for a slow and flexible ramp up. Onward to cleaner air, lower electricity costs for everyone, and lower operation costs for the folks that drive these vehicles.”

“Transitioning to zero-emission trucks and buses will greatly reduce the health-harming pollutants currently being spewed out of tailpipes across the state,” said Guillermo Ortiz, Senior Clean Vehicles Advocate at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “The road forward on ACT is clear: these rules are feasible, with built-in flexibilities to support a successful transition. New Jersey cannot afford to cave to pressure from manufacturers clinging to the status quo. Manufacturers need to shift gears, not responsibility.”

“So excited that NJ’s trucks will soon be moving goods on electric. The money, policy, and charging infrastructure are finally all aligned,” said Kelli Koontz-Wilson, Coordinator of the Coalition for Healthy Port. “Prioritizing resources towards pollution-burdened, largely Black, Brown, low income, communities will not only reduce greenhouse gases and climate changing accelerants, but also health harms associated with co-pollutants (Black Carbon, Particulate Matter, NOx and SOx) that plague port and warehouse adjacent communities every day. Having been born and raised in Newark, I know firsthand about the dangers of dirty air – my family has dealt with 3 generations of asthma. No one should have to live with this.  We see a clear clean future on our roads, with our trucks and in our lungs.”

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