SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A plan has been set in force by Governor Kathy Hochul to have all new cars sold in New York State to be zero-emissions by 2035 in order to lessen the impact cars have on the environment. Reactions have ranged from support for the plan to doubts about the effectiveness and sustainability of the plan.
Some in the car sales world have seen electric cars sell quickly and in great numbers. Jacqueline Rutter is the Business Development Manager at Alan Byer Volvo in Syracuse, and she says Volvo has completely sold out its stock of electric cars.
“As far as fully electric vehicles go, they are globally sold out for Volvo at this moment,” Rutter said. “So, we’re taking pre-orders, we’re getting inquiries every single day, but they’re selling faster than we can make them.”
Despite this being the experience for some, others are not very optimistic about the plan. Jon Lattari, the Sales Manager at Lowery Brothers Infiniti of Syracuse, does not believe that the push to bring electric cars into the limelight as the dominant option will be very successful.
“I think, like anything, it’s a fad,” Lattari said. “And the way technology is in this country today, there’s going to be something five years from now that’s above and beyond the all-electric car.”
If this push does succeed long-term, however, environmentalists say there could be great, long-reaching benefits for the global environment. Yet, Stephanie Johnson, Project Scientist at the Onondaga Environmental Institute, says this will not come to pass without effort.
“There’s some behind-the-scenes investment and infrastructure that’s going to be needed as well,” Johnson said. “But if we can get to zero-emissions, that’s huge.”
It’s clear that people have differing outlooks on the prospects of the state’s plan. What is certain, however, is that the effectiveness of this plan will be seen by all as time goes on.
