As the head of the New Mexico Automotive Industry Alliance, representing a diverse group of businesses from car dealers to garages, truckers, and tow companies, I feel compelled to address the misguided electric vehicle (EV) mandate recently imposed by an unelected environmental commission.
While we wholeheartedly support clean air initiatives and reduced emissions, the new rule requiring new car dealers to stock 46% of their inventory as electric vehicles by next year is not only unrealistic but potentially devastating to our industry and the communities we serve.
Consider this: current EV demand in New Mexico stands at a mere 4%. The dramatic leap to 46% is not just ambitious; it’s reckless. This mandate threatens to bankrupt franchise dealers in small New Mexico towns, where the market for EVs is even more limited.
The environmental board’s approach is puzzling at best. They’ve adopted California’s strictest-in-the-nation standard without considering New Mexico’s unique challenges. Ironically, this same board doesn’t even require emissions tests in any county! Only Bernalillo requires emissions testing. Where’s the logic in mandating EVs without addressing existing emission issues?
Moreover, the mandate ignores the potential of hybrid vehicles to help achieve the goals and fails to provide a reasonable transition period. It’s an all-or-nothing approach that disregards the complexities of shifting an entire state’s automotive landscape.
New Mexico simply isn’t ready for this abrupt change. We lack the necessary infrastructure to support such a high percentage of EVs. There aren’t enough charging stations, especially in rural areas where half our population resides. We haven’t addressed the loss of road use tax revenue from EVs, nor do we have enough trained technicians to service these vehicles.
The rural nature of our state makes this mandate particularly problematic. For many New Mexicans, EVs are not a viable option due to long travel distances and lack of charging infrastructure. This means the 46% requirement is even more unrealistic than it appears on paper.
We’re not against progress. We’re against poorly planned, hastily implemented policies that threaten businesses and ignore the realities of our state. We need a more balanced approach that considers hybrids, provides a reasonable transition period, and addresses infrastructure needs before mandating such drastic changes.
House Bill 270 addresses this issue—recognizing the danger in implementing massive change without the input of New Mexico’s deliberative bodies. It’s time for our elected officials to step up. We need policies that support clean air initiatives while also protecting New Mexico’s businesses and respecting the diverse needs of our population. Let’s work together to create a sustainable future that doesn’t come at the cost of our present. Please call your representative and ask them to move HB270 onto the floor and to the Senate THIS session!
Marc Powell
Executive Director, NMAIA
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