This story was most recently updated Friday, March 31 at 4 p.m.
The Biden administration on Friday cleared the way for California to require that half of all heavy trucks sold in the state be fully electric by 2035, and the state becomes the world’s first government to require zero-emission trucks. California needed approval from the White House because its rule exceeds Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements.
"Last year, California became one of the first jurisdictions in the world with a real plan to end tailpipe emissions for cars. Now, thanks to the Biden administration, we’re getting more zero-emission heavy duty trucks on the roads, expanding our world-leading efforts to cut air pollution and protect public health," said California Governor Gavin Newsom. "We’re leading the charge to get dirty trucks and buses – the most polluting vehicles – off our streets, and other states and countries are lining up to follow our lead around the world.”
American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said by allowing California to overstep federal regulations, "the EPA is handing over the keys as a national regulator. This isn’t the United States of California, and in order to mollify a never satisfied fringe environmental lobby by allowing the state to proceed with these technologically infeasible rules on unworkable and unrealistic timelines, the EPA is sowing the ground for a future supply chain crisis.“
Spear noted that in the last 35 years, industry and regulatory collaboration has produced a 98% reduction in truck emissions, adding “we continue to be committed to the path to zero, and we hope EPA will, as it becomes clear that California’s rhetoric is not being matched by technology, reverse course and create a single, achievable national standard... We have, and will continue to work tirelessly with the EPA on aggressive, achievable timelines for reducing emissions. Over the past 35 years, that collaboration,” Spear said.
California will require truck manufacturers to accelerate sales of zero emission vehicles in the state, setting increasing ZEV manufacturing standards starting from 2024 through 2035 that Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington and Vermont are also likely to adopt. Together, California and those states represent roughly 22% of the national truck market.
EPA Friday approved two Clean Air Act waivers for California’s heavy duty truck regulations, including the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, which requires 100% heavy-duty vehicles in California where feasible by 2045. The ACT rule requires truck manufacturers to increase new truck sales to 55% (Class 2b-3), 75% (Class 4-8), and 40% of semi-tractor sales to be zero-emissions by 2035.
