Governor says state’s fleet will move to 100% electric by 2035

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday said all state government agencies will move their fleets to “100% electric” by 2035 through an executive order. She also said her office plans to promote legislation next session aimed at offering robust electric vehicle tax credits in the state.

“We have to think about ways to create opportunity for the folks selling those vehicles, whether that’s a dealer or an individual,” Lujan Grisham said to a group of public and private officials gathered at Hotel Albuquerque for the Governor’s Symposium on the Future of Transportation.

“And we have to think about ways to make sure that individuals have access to that marketplace, but also that they’ve got opportunities to do the charging right at their own homes. … Those things have to all be connected.”

The governor’s press secretary, Caroline Sweeney, said the proposed tax credits will “dovetail with the clean car rules we announced earlier this year, be transferrable, and are aimed at offsetting the costs of charging at home.”

A follow-up news release from the Governor’s Office said the EV tax credits “would apply to new and used electric vehicles to help meet the state’s and the country’s climate goals.”

New Mexico’s clean car rule is among the most stringent in the country. By 2031, the state will require 82% of all new vehicles delivered to the state to be zero-emission — which, according to the federal government, include battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles.

“If we are going to move the state forward into a lower-carbon future, these tax credits are vitally important,” said Sen. Benny Shendo Jr., D-Jemez Pueblo, who is chair of the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee. “I’m grateful to the governor for her support of this important initiative.”

The governor signed the executive order Monday. It effectively would bring all vehicles operated and purchased by state agencies to zero-emission in the next 12 years, a move that comes as the state — and the country at large — looks at ways to transition into the next phase of zero-emission vehicles.

The state has already made some headway in moving toward clean transportation. It has so far secured $700 million in Charging Fuel Infrastructure grants to up the deployment of EV charging stations across New Mexico. And the Legislature also has locked in $10 million from the American Recovery Plan Act funding.

“By convening more than 300 stakeholders from auto dealers to environmental advocates, the governor is moving not only the conversation forward but the actions being taken around the state to increase the availability of vehicles and charging infrastructure,” Martin Chavez, the governor’s infrastructure adviser, said in a statement.

According to the order, state agencies will need to purchase zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs, for all new acquisitions “where one or more options are available.” Agencies that have more than10 vehicles will partner with the Transportation Services Division to develop and submit a strategic plan with proposals for annual ZEV acquisition and charging equipment deployment targets.

The order also states that there is some exceptions, with agencies able to purchase internal combustion engine vehicles for law enforcement, firefighting, construction, maintenance and emergency management.