A Hochul administration green rule requiring that 35% of 2026 model cars sold in the state to be “emissions free” is an unrealistic bust, auto dealers claim.
The Advance Clean Cars II mandate calls for all autos to be free of fossil fuel emissions by 2035, ratcheting up the percentage each year.
But New York’s auto dealers said the deadline to meet those goals of weening drivers off gas-powered cars to electric vehicles is pie in the sky.
“The deadlines don’t match the reality,” said Jack Weidinger, chairman of the Greater Automobile Dealers Association of NY, who owns a Cadillac dealership in Great Neck.
“Dealers want to extend the deadline so we don’t destroy the market,” he said.
Andy Guelcher, a Chevrolet dealer in Ballston Spa, said the industry is “just not there yet” as there are not enough charging stations in operation as the rule would require a slew of new electric vehicles.
“The infrastructure is not ready for these ambitious deadlines,” he said.
Guelcher said Department of Motor Vehicles monthly records he’s reviewed show that 8% to 9% of new cars registered are battery electric or emission free, and there’s no way the 35% edict will be met next year.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation said electric vehicles account for slightly over 10% of car sales.
“While setting environmental sustainability goals is laudable, hitting 35% is next to impossible — and consumers will be left holding the bag. It is unrealistic to assume a 300% year-over-year increase in demand for zero emission vehicles,” Guelcher said.
“New York must pump the brakes on ACC II. Consumers and car dealers are counting on it.”
He said $7,500 in federal tax credit for consumers to buy emission free cars could dry up under President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.
Consumers could end up paying more, he warned.
“With car dealers forced to order more zero-emission vehicles, there will be fewer gas-powered vehicles on the lot, driving up prices for the remaining gas-powered vehicles,” Guelcher said.
“When inventory of gas-powered vehicles runs out, local consumers will be forced to choose between purchasing a vehicle locally they do not want or going out of state to purchase a car,” he added. “Most will choose the latter.”
DEC, which oversees the program to transition from gas powered to clean energy cars, defended the mandate.
“New York State is committed to working with all parties to help ensure the state’s smooth transition to electric vehicles for the health, environmental, and economic benefits it will provide New Yorkers,” DEC said in a statement.
“The Advanced Clean Cars II regulation does not apply to consumers or dealers, only to manufacturers, which have various available flexibilities resulting in the need to achieve approximately 10 percent EV sales, not 35 percent.”
The agency said it will continue to get input from New York’s Congressional delegation, manufacturers, dealers and other stakeholders to obtain the most accurate information about “reducing pollution” and working to ease “any potential compliance burdens.”
In a Jan. 5 response letter to Guelcher, interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar said repealing the green car edict would “cause chaos” rather than the certainty sought by car manufacturers, and doing so would violate the state’s climate change law.
He also said the cost of electric cars are now at or near parity with gas-powered vehicles.
There are more than 15,000 charging stations in the state and the commissioner pointed out that most motorists will charge their cars at home, which is cheaper than using public stations.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 requires the state and its energy producers and consumers to move away from fossil fuels by slashing gas emissions by 40% by 2030 with the goal of achieving 100% zero-carbon-emission electricity by 2040.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Democratic-led legislature have also banned gas stoves, furnaces and propane heating in new buildings. In December, Hochul extended the state’s fracking ban by prohibiting a new technique to use carbon dioxide to extract natural gas.
The gripe over the green car mandate comes amid outrage over Con Edison’s request to jack up electric bills by 11.4% and send gas bills soaring 13.3% for its 3.6 million customers, which Hochul said she opposes.
But the utility giant attributed part of the increase to building clean energy infrastructure to comply with the state climate law.
Con Ed’s proposed rate hikes would cost some inflation-weary New Yorkers $1,848 more per year compared to five years ago, if approved.
