Mayor Steven M. Fulop has unveiled plans for the expansive implementation of electric vehicles (EVs) throughout Jersey City’s municipal fleet to become the first on the East Coast with fully electric garbage trucks and some of the first EV police response vehicles.
The infrastructure advancements to New Jersey’s largest municipal fleet fall under the mayor’s executive order to require 10% of all new municipal fleet vehicles to be fully electric this year where available, with a goal of 100% of new municipal fleet vehicles to be fully electric by 2030.
“As an administration, we have sought out innovative and resourceful ways to build a foundation for a more resilient and sustainable future, which is critical now more than ever amid the current crisis,” says Fulop.
“Transitioning to greener technology is a cost-saving, long-term investment benefiting our environment and our residents’ health. We’re leading the country in electrification, utilizing grants and community feedback to build an infrastructure that will serve as a model for others around the nation,” he adds.
The city has rapidly transitioned toward a greener future, implementing the following initiatives in just the last year:
- All new vehicles purchased in 2020 have been fully electric (eight total)
- 1st municipality on the East Coast to purchase five fully electric garbage trucks through a $2 million NJDEP grant the city was selected for out of 150 proposals
- Four fully electric police vehicles to pilot JCPD fleet shift
- Twenty-four EV charging stations installed for municipal and public use across the city, purchased through a $76,000 NJDEP grant
- Established the first EV-only parking zones in New Jersey at EV charging stations to help foster public adoption
- Jersey City Via rideshare service is one of the first transit services in the country to use EVs with over 10% of the current fleet being fully electric
- New solar panels installed at DPW provide electricity to the building and EV charging stations through the 1.23 MW solar array
- City’s first car-sharing program optimizes the size and efficiency of all fleet vehicle operations eliminating underused vehicles to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Replaced eight older, less efficient gas-powered vehicles with four Nissan Leafs
The electrification efforts underway are part of the city’s celebration of 2020 as the Year of Climate Action through the creation of the city’s first-ever Climate Action Plan, which will lay out a strategic framework for how to meet Jersey City’s climate goals.
If you would like to find out more about the city’s efforts on Climate Change, click here.
Photo: Steven M. Fulop
