DEP Announces Red Bank as New Drive Electric Destination, Unveils New Website Detailing Benefits of Green Fleets (21 / P031)

(21 / P031) TRENTON – The Department of Environmental Protection celebrates National Drive Electric Week and encourages New Jersey residents to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by announcing Red Bank in Monmouth County as the third largest city in New Jersey Jersey to become a Destination Electric community and unveiling a new and improved website touting the many environmental and economic benefits of electric vehicle fleets, Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said.

Red Bank’s new designation and improved website coincide with New Jersey’s celebration of National Drive Electric Week, which began Saturday and ends Sunday. Drive Electric Week raises awareness of the many advantages of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Free in-person and virtual events throughout this week provide a chance to peek under the hood, talk to the owners who made the switch, and learn about valuable incentives. Educating the public about electric vehicles is especially important in New Jersey, where emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles are the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

“In partnership with local governments and small businesses, the Murphy administration is driving new investments in electric vehicle infrastructure and building public confidence in electric vehicles which is necessary to decarbonize our transportation system,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “As we make our communities more EV destination friendly, we will improve local air quality and public health as we grow our green economy. “

Red Bank joins Jersey City and Princeton as New Jersey’s third community in Destination Electric, which showcases local businesses, places and attractions near public charging stations. These companies display decals in their windows to show their customers that they are part of the program and support electric driving.

Support for the next level of transportation technology is a good fit for Red Bank, which sits on the Navesink River and was once a key transportation corridor to the Jersey Shore. Today, the borough is a destination for restaurants and shops, as well as a cultural art center for music, theater and more.

“The Destination Electric initiative is, in my opinion, something that most New Jersey centers should join, as it offers accessibility to a whole new market, convenience, and excellent economic and practicality,” said Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna. “Making it easier for people to participate would, in turn, be a factor for future growth and people will start to think more in terms of hybrid or electrically charged vehicles. It’s good for the environment, good for global warming, it’s economical and it makes a good mix.

In addition to New Jersey, Destination Electric Communities is designated in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire to raise awareness of the growing network of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure in communities and across the country. .

An improved DEP website was also recently launched, outlining electrification opportunities for medium and heavy vehicle fleets. These truck and bus fleets represent only 4% of all vehicles on the road, but almost 25% of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. This fleet of vehicles is a major contributor to air pollution and climate change with around 500,000 medium and heavy trucks on the road.

“The electrification of New Jersey’s transportation sector extends to ensuring zero emissions from the trucks and buses that pass through neighborhoods to deliver goods and services,” said Peg Hanna, deputy director of the New Jersey division. air quality, energy and sustainability of DEP. “Our new website explains the variety of approaches we are taking to achieve this.” Compared to diesel vehicles, green vehicle fleets are two to five times more energy efficient, reduce dependence on oil, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce dirty diesel emissions in environmental justice communities. . By shifting dependence on diesel engines towards electric powertrains, New Jersey can meet its climate goals faster and more efficiently.

Videos on the importance of electric vehicles in New Jersey and the Destination Electric program can be viewed at https://youtu.be/UoafhpmQ7NU and https://youtu.be/w-pHo8n0Itk. More information on the Murphy’s administration clean energy goals, as outlined in the Energy Master Plan, can be found here.

To find a free National Drive Electric Week event near you (or check out a virtual event), visit https://driveelectricweek.org/

To learn more about the Destination Electric program, visit https://driveelectricus.com/why-drive-electric/see-the-lifestyle/

To learn more about New Jersey’s electric vehicles, charging, and valuable incentives, visit www.drivegreen.nj.gov/

Like DEP’s Air Quality, Energy and Sustainability Division on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDEPAQES and the DEP DriveCleanNJ Instagram page at www.instagram.com/drivecleannj/

Follow the New Jersey State Park Service on Instagram @newjerseystateparks

Follow Commissioner LaTourette on Twitter and Instagram @shawnlatur and follow DEP on Twitter @NewJerseyDEP