Three-quarters of cars purchased through the state of New Mexico are expected to be electric, if a bill approved by the legislature is passed and signed into law.
Senate Bill 30, through Sen. William Soules (D-37), would require that 75% of all cars purchased by the state be powered to a “significant extent” through a rechargeable electric motor, powered by a battery and capable of reaching speeds of at least minus 65 miles consistent with the hour. Read the bill.
If approved, SB 30 would also require procurement through the New Mexico Department of General Services’ Division of Transportation Services and request the Division to identify a plan to do so through the end of 2023.
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The bill explained the cars as a four-wheeled motor vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, specifying a base weight of between 2000 and 8500 pounds, with a capacity of at least four kilowatt hours and capable of being charged through an external power source.
On Jan. 31, the Senate Committee on Tax, Business and Transportation advised him to “succeed” on a 5-to-2 basis, along with Republican Sens. Gay Kernan and Ron Griggs, who represented parts of southeastern New Mexico where the maximum of the state’s oil and herbal fuel is produced.
SB 30 sent to the Senate Finance Committee for further discussion and possible action.
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The proposal would affect 1,434 vehicles, or 75 percent of the state’s fleet, according to research by the Legislative Finance Committee (CFS).
With a base of $50,000 consistent with the vehicle, the CFL estimated that total replacement through 2030 would be approximately $31. 7 million.
While investment requests from state agencies are likely to pile up “quickly,” LFC noted, the Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources “believes that a statewide conversion of gasoline-powered car fleets to electric cars would be incredibly beneficial,” the report says, to meet federal needs under the Alternative Fuels Act.
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But LFC warned that state agencies were already suffering from electric cars from low stock and lack of availability.
The bill would also result in a requirement to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the state, according to the LFC report, at around $20,000 according to the site.
“However, savings over time would be achieved through reduced prices related to the operation of electric vehicles and the reduction of greenhouse fuel emissions,” the report said.
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The New Mexico Department of Transportation reported that 42 communities in rural New Mexico were receiving electric vehicle charging stations, $10 million in the federal budget from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the state is set to get an additional $38 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula for an interstate highway network.
At the committee hearing that advanced SB 30, Kernan, who opposed the bill, said the electric vehicle requirement would provide considerations for state police officers to respond to crimes in other incidents.
“It’s our law enforcement that’s on the roads and they don’t have time to prevent and recharge,” Kernan said.
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But Kernan said electric cars can also be a challenge for New Mexico Department of Transportation workers responding to road challenges and possibly wouldn’t work in rural New Mexico, especially for fossil fuels or agricultural activities that occur in remote areas.
“It turns out to be more of an urban-rural problem,” Kernan said. In rural New Mexico, it’s hard to know how you can use electric vehicles when you’re out in the field all the time, whether you’re in the oil fields, in agriculture or whatever. “
In response, Soules said that with a good enough charging network, the state’s use of electric cars would be effective enough for remote spaces or even police.
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“If you’ve ever driven a Tesla, for example, you’re going on to beat almost any police car we have on the road,” he said. “Electric cars are very, very fast if you want to. Our police cars pass by.
He said the bill includes some exemptions for the conditions under which cargo is available, to address considerations about availability in remote areas.
Kernan responded that electric cars were reliable enough for all state functions.
“There are other departments that want more reliability, more distance and more time on the road,” he said. trapped there. “
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus. com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.