The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) approved on August 18 the expansion of its Clean Fleet Electric Vehicle Incentive Program, a $7 million program offering grants for public entities to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) and related charging infrastructure. The modifications approved include an increase in award caps and are aimed at boosting the program’s reach and effectiveness as the state endeavors to reach Governor Phil Murphy’s goal of transitioning at least 25% of state-owned, non-emergency light-duty vehicles to plug-in EVs by December 31, 2025.

The program, initially introduced in 2019 as a $210,000 pilot program funded through the U.S. Department of Energy, allows local and state government entities to apply for up to two $4,000 grants toward the purchase of battery-electric vehicles and one $1,500 grant toward the purchase of a Level 2 EV charging station. In June 2021, New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program allocated a total of $7 million for fiscal year 2022, dedicating $6 million for use by state entities and $1 million for local governments.

Eligible entities include local schools, municipal commissions, state agencies or boards, state commissions, state universities, community colleges, and county authorities in addition to municipalities, municipal utility authorities, and state agencies.

The approved modifications for the fiscal year 2022 program are effective on August 28 and include:

Increased Vehicle Caps

• Local governments, local entities, and local schools serving a population over 20,000: the vehicle cap will increase from two vehicles to five vehicles;

• Local governments, local entities, and local schools serving a population over 50,000: the vehicle cap will increase from two vehicles to seven vehicles; and

• State government, state agencies, boards, commissions, state universities, and counties, as well as local governments serving a population over 100,000: the vehicle cap will increase from two vehicles to 10 vehicles.

Increased Charging Station Caps

• Local governments, local entities, and local schools serving a population over 20,000: the charging station cap will increase from one Level 2 EV charging station to two; and

• State government, state agencies, boards, commissions, state universities, and counties, as well as local governments serving a population over 50,000: the charging station cap will increase from one Level 2 EV charging station to four.