Ten-State Coalition Achieves Goal of 3.3 Million Electric Vehicles on the Road by 2025

A decade-long initiative to expand electric vehicle adoption has surpassed its target, with New Jersey and nine other states reaching a milestone in EV registrations and charging infrastructure.

NEW JERSEY – A multi-state commitment to advance electric vehicle (EV) adoption has met its ambitious goal, with 3.3 million electric vehicles now registered across ten participating states, according to a report released March 6, 2025, by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM). The target, initially set in a 2013 memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by ten state governors, aimed to promote zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption, expand EV model availability, and build charging infrastructure.

As of December 31, 2024, over 3.3 million EVs have been registered in the ten states, marking a dramatic increase from the 87,506 EVs on the road in 2013. New Jersey is among the states that contributed to this milestone, reinforcing regional leadership in transportation electrification.

Paul Miller, NESCAUM Executive Director, said: “Time and again, we’ve heard that the states’ clean vehicle programs are unrealistic. Yet time and again, the states have shown that when they set ambitious goals, then cooperate in support of them, success follows. Congratulations to these states for their accomplishments and leadership.”

A Decade of EV Growth

At the time of the MOU signing in 2013, only 16 electric vehicle models were available in the U.S., primarily small vehicles limited to California markets. Over the past decade, expanding consumer choice and state-supported initiatives have helped grow the market, leading to:

• More than 150 EV models now available, including compact cars, sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, and pickups.
• Significant expansion of charging infrastructure, with over ten times the number of charging ports compared to 2014.

The MOU states—California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont—have played a major role in accelerating this transition through market-enabling programs, EV incentives, and public awareness campaigns.

New Jersey’s Role in the Transition

As a signatory to the 2013 MOU, New Jersey has been a key player in advancing EV adoption through:

• State rebates and purchase incentives to lower upfront costs for consumers.
• Expansion of public and private EV charging stations, including investments in highway corridors and urban areas.
• Regulatory policies supporting EV adoption, including zero-emission vehicle mandates and fleet electrification programs.

New Jersey’s participation in regional efforts like NESCAUM has also provided a platform for multi-state coordination in air quality improvement and climate change mitigation.

“I’m proud to celebrate the success of our states’ collaboration on making transportation cleaner and preventing harmful pollution from the largest emitting sector in the country. As more drivers go green, New Jersey will continue to work toward making electric vehicles accessible to all and expanding the state’s charging infrastructure to support regional demand.” - Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey.

Infrastructure Growth and Market Expansion

Recognizing that charging access is critical to EV adoption, the MOU coalition prioritized charging infrastructure expansion. Over the past decade:

• Public and private charging stations have grown tenfold.
• Investments in fast-charging networks have made long-distance EV travel more viable.
• The NESCAUM-led task force has facilitated policy coordination across states, helping align EV purchase incentives and consumer outreach programs.

With the 2030 and 2035 clean transportation targets approaching, states like New Jersey and its MOU partners continue to push for broader EV adoption through:

• Phasing out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales in favor of zero-emission models.
• Electrifying public transportation and government fleets.
• Investing in next-generation battery technologies and charging infrastructure.

The success of the 3.3 million EV goal demonstrates the impact of coordinated state action and signals continued growth in the EV sector. New Jersey and the MOU coalition states are expected to set new targets to accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation in the coming years.

About NESCAUM

NESCAUM is a regional nonprofit association of state air pollution control agencies in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The organization provides technical and policy expertise to state agencies on air quality and climate policy and has worked for over three decades to promote low- and zero-emission vehicles in collaboration with California, the EPA, and the automotive industry.

With EV adoption exceeding expectations, the success of this initiative sets the stage for even more ambitious clean transportation policies in the future.