More electric vehicles coming to NJ … but is it enough?

A group of 127 cities in 38 states has agreed to the purchase of more than 2,100 electric vehicles — including at least 7 New Jersey towns and the Port Authority.

The pledge was made by the Climate Mayors Elective Vehicle Purchasing Collaborative, a purchasing block designed to get better pricing on electric vehicles. Participating New Jersey towns include Jersey City, Hoboken, Piscataway, Plainsboro, Verona, Cape May Point and Highland Park.

"Our towns and cities are moving forward on electric vehicles, while our state is not," Sierra Club of New Jersey Area Director Jeff Tittel said. "Right now electric vehicles in Trenton are stuck in gridlock."

He's hopeful to get a bill passed to put together programs at the state level.

Tittel said increased electric vehicle use is critical, especially in a state such as ours.

"Over 45 percent of our air pollution in New Jersey, and about a similar amount of climate impacts comes from local sources — from cars, trucks, buses," he said.

Tittel said it's most important, especially for school buses, not to be putting out pollution — and impacting our air.

"So we think that this is an important step forward in not only moving electric vehicle technology forward, but more importantly in helping protect the environment and deal with climate change and air pollution."

He says New Jersey, by its own laws, is committed to having 330,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025.

"The State Government is failing to move forward but the cities and towns are putting the pedal to the metal and moving forward quicker — and hopefully by their example it will get the people in Trenton off their derrieres and moving forward on electric vehicles."

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5

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