NW Jersey News

Vince Giovannitti, mayor of Greenwich Township, has expressed concerns regarding the current timeline for transitioning to electric vehicles. He said that these regulations could have adverse effects on towns nationwide. Giovannitti made this statement at a recent rally.

"Can these regulations be implemented at a reasonable pace," said Giovannitti. "Enforcing an effective ban on gasoline vehicles and restricting consumer choice to electric vehicles. Please reconsider the timeline and carefully assess how these regulations will negatively impact Greenwich Township."

According to NJBIA, Giovannitti's remarks were delivered during the 'Save Our Jobs! Don’t Ban Our Cars!' Rally in June 2024. The event gathered hundreds of union workers, business leaders, community advocates, energy producers, and elected officials from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware at the Statehouse in Trenton. The participants urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state agencies to reconsider policies aimed at banning most new gas cars and imposing electric vehicle mandates.

Automotive World reports that under the Clean Air Act, the EPA sets national vehicle emissions standards while California can establish stricter rules through a federal waiver. Other Section 177 states may adopt these rules. Electric vehicle-only manufacturers often exceed California's emissions standards and earn compliance credits that can be sold to other automakers. As emissions requirements become more stringent, the availability of these credits will decline, leaving automakers with three options: increase electric vehicle sales, reduce overall vehicle sales, or purchase remaining compliance credits.

The EPA’s new emissions rules will require automakers to meet strict fleet-wide targets, effectively increasing electric vehicle production. However, NPR notes that electric vehicles remain more expensive upfront than gas-powered cars and have limited affordable models along with lagging charging infrastructure. These factors reduce consumer choice and may raise initial vehicle costs, particularly for lower-income buyers.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Giovannitti has served as Mayor of Greenwich Township (Gibbstown), New Jersey since January 2021. He holds a Master of Arts in Counselor Education and School Counseling from Rowan University.