New Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer has told WHYY News that he plans to eliminate the previous administration’s electric vehicle sales regulation.

Finalized under former Gov. John Carney, the rule mandates that, beginning with the 2027 model year, 43% of all new cars, SUVs, and light trucks delivered to Delaware dealerships must be fully electric or plug-in hybrid electric. The percentage would then ramp up to 82% beginning with the 2032 model year.

However, Meyer says he isn’t “a strong believer in government mandates on consudmers,” according to the article published Thursday.

“The mechanism we take has yet to be determined, but I’m assuring Delawareans that the electric vehicle mandate will not go into effect,” Meyer said, according to WHYY News. “I think that each Delaware family, Delawarean, each American should have a choice over what they want to buy and sellers should have a considerable choice on what they want to sell.”

Last week, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) of Delaware reported that EVs made up 12% of new 2024 registrations in Delaware, up from 2% in 2020. Along with the increase in EV registrations, the department said the number of public charging stations continues to grow.

DNREC also announced it had extended the Clean Transportation Incentive Program by a year. Under the program, Delawareans who buy or lease qualifying new or used EVs are offered cash rebates up to $2,500. Businesses can also apply for rebates of up to 90% to cover the cost of installing Level 2 charging stations at existing multi-family dwellings, workplaces, and public locations.

“These two popular programs are encouraging adoption of cleaner vehicles and ensuring that the infrastructure increases as demand does,” said DNRERC Secretary Greg Patterson, in an April 21 press release. “The extension of these programs reinforces the state’s commitment to clean transportation and tackling climate change head-on.”

In 2024, the state paid $3.5 million in rebates to 1,677 vehicle buyers, according to WHYY News.

Charlie Burton, president of the I.G. Burton chain of dealerships in Delaware, told the news outlet he’s happy that Meyer plans to do away with the mandate, even though he sells EVs.

“I’m tickled to death,” Burton said. “I like the [electric] car. I’m not against the car. What I don’t want, and I don’t think the public wants, is to be told what stocking levels I have to do and what I have to sell, and what they have to buy.

“I’m glad he’s getting rid of it but the market’s not going to go away. There’s been too much investment in electric and battery development and all that. But in addition, it’s just a really great car.”

Meyer’s plan to eliminate the mandate comes after a bill sponsored by Rep. Lyndon Yearick (R-District 34) sought to do the same but “hit a roadblock” in the House, according to the article.

“I’ll be cautiously optimistic,” Yearick told WHYY News. “We want what I would view as the most favorable outcome in regard to our consumers’ choice here in Delaware. Hopefully, he does the right thing and strikes it from the regs.”

HB92 would repeal the Delaware Advanced Clean Air Program and adopt the state’s Low Emissions Program, thereby terminating the EV mandate.

EV purchasing is up nationwide, according to the “Get Connected Electric Vehicle Quarterly Report 2024 (Q4)” from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators).

EVs represented 10.9% of new light-duty vehicle sales in Q4 2024, up from 10.6% in Q3 and 10.2% in Q4 2023. Light truck sales represent 81% of the EV market, up from 80% in Q3.

There are 5.8 million EVs on the road and 194,824 publicly available charging outlets in the U.S., meaning there are 30 EVs for every public port.

During Q4, four states had EV registrations above 20%, including Colorado (26.4%), California (26.2%), Washington (21.3%), and the District of Columbia (20.3%).

Nationwide, 433,843 EVs were registered in Q4 but only 9,701 new public chargers were added — a ratio of 45 new EVs for every new public port.

For full-year 2024, EVs made up 10.2% of new light-duty vehicle sales, up from 9.5% in 2023 and 7% in 2022.

Images

Featured image provided by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control of Delaware