SEAFORD, Del. - As Delaware moves closer towards zero emissions clean car standards, there might not be as many Jeeps driving on the roads here. The proposed gas-powered vehicle ban wouldn't take effect until 2035, but dealerships are already seeing an impact on their inventory.
The CEO of Lakeshore Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Seaford, Santosh Viswanathan, worries that soon he won't have anymore gas-powered Jeeps like these to sell.
Viswanathan is also a managing partner at Willis Ford Smyna and the Chairman of Legislative Affiars for the Delaware Auto Dealers Association. He says Jeep has already told dealerships that they're only going to be sending Jeep 4xe models.
"The only way a Delawarean could buy a Jeep Wrangler gas is by way of ordering it, which is called a special order process, which normally takes time," Viswanathan says. "If you have somebody who has an accident and needs to get a Jeep right away, a gas engine that is, it's not going to happen."
Viswanathan says there are not charging stations to support electric vehicles in Seaford or in areas where Jeeps typically go offroading, but the state has previously said that funding would go towads increasing the availability of chargers.
Even though the mandate isn't for sure, it's already affecting dealerships like Viswanathan's and they'll be getting more electric vehicles whether they want them or not.
The DNREC Clean Vehicle Rebate Program still aims to provides incentives to buy or lease new alternative fuel vehicles.