Is it time for New Jersey to ditch its planned electric vehicle mandates?

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont did just that last week following President-elect Donald Trump’s win. Now, New Jersey Republicans are calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to follow Connecticut’s lead.

“I definitely enjoy my Tesla a lot, I own gas cars as well,” said Liam Johnson, a Tesla owner who drives his EV for his Lightning Construction job.

“I got my federal tax rebate. I got unlimited charging on my car. I love it, it’s the best thing,” said Jose Rivera, who commutes from Staten Island to New Jersey for work.

EV owners love their cars, but when it comes to a forced mandate, these two owners say no.

Murphy previously issued a mandate that all new vehicles sold in New Jersey would have to be electric by 2035.

“I think people should just be able to buy whatever they want. But I definitely see cars moving toward electric vehicles in the future,” said Johnson.

“I don’t believe in the mandate, absolutely not,” said Rivera.

New Jersey Republican lawmakers like Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn agree.

“In his next year, his final year, [Gov. Murphy] should take a look at this and roll back these mandates,” she said.

Flynn says too many questions remain – like the higher cost and availability of charging stations – and a soon-to-be radically different federal administration.

“There’s no evidence in the marketplace, in the infrastructure, that we are ready to meet those mandates,” said Flynn.

A February Rutgers-Eagleton poll found that only half of New Jerseyans supported the governor’s plan to phase out gas vehicles. Those against it say there are just too many questions left to be answered.

“If they force everyone to get EVs, what happens to the gas tax when they’re not filling out over here? Where does that money go, you follow?” asked Rivera.

“If it makes sense from an economic point of view in New Jersey, I bet New Jerseyans will. But that’s not where we are at,” said Flynn.

News 12 reached out to Murphy’s office for comment and has not yet heard back.