The Democratic governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, has issued an executive order mandating that all state government agencies transition to using electric vehicles (EVs) exclusively by 2035.
Governor Lujan Grisham made this announcement during the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Symposium on the Future of Transportation. At the symposium, she also mentioned plans to enhance EV tax credits to improve affordability.
This initiative to require carbon-free vehicle fleets for state agencies aligns with Governor Lujan Grisham’s ongoing efforts to promote EV mandates statewide.
The governor emphasized the importance of providing greater access to EVs for consumers and dealers. She told reporters that actions such as implementing Clean Car rules and introducing tax credits are “leveling the playing field.”
Lujan Grisham’s executive order specifically instructs all departments and agencies to purchase EVs for all new car acquisitions. The governor gave exemptions for law enforcement vehicles, firefighting trucks, and other heavy-duty vehicles.
Earlier this year, Lujan Grisham implemented what is known as Clean Car regulations. These regulations require car manufacturers to increase the proportion of zero-emission vehicles and light-duty trucks sold in New Mexico each year, starting from 2026.
According to Fox News, 43% of the new cars that will be sold in New Mexico in 2026 will have to be zero-emission. This percentage will gradually rise. By 2031, 82% of the new cars sold in the state will have to be zero-emission.
As New Mexico announces the EV mandate, it’s aligning its energy policy with the Biden administration and with other Democratic states like California.
The Biden administration has enforced stricter regulations on tailpipe emissions and fuel efficiency. These regulations are expected to raise the cost of traditional gasoline-powered cars in the coming years.
Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reinstated California’s jurisdiction over emissions standards last year. California has used this authority to adopt a mandate requiring all vehicles sold in the state by 2035 to be zero-emission.
However, conservative political leaders are fighting back. Ohio is currently considering a bill that would outlaw future state governments from imposing EV mandates. And the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill in September to reverse California’s EV mandate.
