OPINION: The folly of New Mexico's electric vehicle mandate

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 mandate recently imposed by the unelected Environmental Improvement Board .

While we wholeheartedly support clean air initiatives and reduced emissions, the new rule requiring new car dealers to stock 43% of their inventory as electric vehicles by next year is not only unrealistic but potentially devastating to our industry and the communities we serve. This rule then increases this mandate 8% each year whereby 2032, the mandate will be at 82% of all vehicles available for sale are required to be zero-emissions vehicles.

Consider this: Current EV demand in New Mexico stands at a mere 4%. The dramatic leap to 43% is not just overly 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 and the EV charging infrastructure is nowhere near sufficient for New Mexicans to travel safely to and from their destination.

The EIB’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 every county. Only Bernalillo requires emissions testing. Where’s the logic in mandating EVs without addressing existing emission issues? This rule will force New Mexicans to leave the state to purchase their vehicle of choice. This will end up driving up the cost of vehicles for New Mexicans while doing nothing to improve our air quality.

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 a large share of our population resides. We haven’t addressed the loss of road use tax revenue from EVs, and due to low demand there are not 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 43% 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 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 and get this to the governor’s desk. 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.