San Francisco, California, USA: The California Air Resources Board has voted unanimously to finalise its Advanced Clean Fleets rule that requires all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold or registered in the state of California to be zero-emission come 2036.
The rule is a complement to CARB’s previous Advanced Clean Trucks rule adopted in 2020. The two rules are similar but distinct. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule was primarily a manufacturer requirement, requiring that manufacturers supply enough electric trucks. The Advanced Clean Fleets rule will be a fleet adoption requirement, requiring that commercial fleet operators purchase a certain percentage of electric trucks.
In the interim few years, it has become apparent that not only are climate change and pollution becoming even more urgent, but that the market for EV trucks has advanced significantly, with hundreds of total models available, across every truck class from 2b through 8. And these trucks have more than enough range for most fleet applications, which often have predictable daily usage schedules.
Among these requirements is a new 2036 target for an end to diesel truck sales. This was lowered from an early 2040 target, with the thought that 2040 would be too late to reach California Governor Gavin Newsom’s goal for 100% zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045. Nine years gives a lot more room than five years to turn over the entire state’s fleet.
The new 2036 target is only one year off California’s 2035 target for cars. In many locales, truck regulations have a later timeline than car regulations, so being only one year off sets quite a precedent. It suggests that other locations may not need to delay truck regulations quite as long as they often do, and that medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are just as prime for electrification as light-duty is.
The rule has many categories and exceptions for niche applications, and recognizes that there may be some applications for which commercial solutions may not exist, or where infrastructure installations might delay implementation. And timelines differ for certain entities – “high-priority” entities like state and local governments and large commercial operators must comply earlier, whereas smaller operators and less optimal applications like long-haul trucking have more time to comply.
It also doesn’t affect existing equipment for the most part, and has provisions to allow vehicles to continue being used throughout their typical full useful life. The sales targets will enable a smooth transition to ZEV fleets, with in-service fleets reaching:
- 100% zero-emission drayage trucks, last-mile delivery, and government fleets by 2035
- 100% zero-emission refuse trucks and local buses by 2040
- 100% zero-emission capable utility fleets by 2040
Additionally, California expects that nearly half of all semi-trucks that travel on its highways will be zero-emission by 2035 and about 70% will be zero-emission by 2042, with the eventual goal of 100% by 2045.
Local air quality concerns in California
The drayage regulation is particularly important in Southern California, where the two largest container ports in the US, the adjacent Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, operate. These ports contribute to poor air quality in the LA basin and the Inland Empire, the area inland of LA where many of the nation’s largest warehouses and logistics and distribution centers operate.
CARB considered allowing compressed natural gas trucks to qualify as part of the regulation, but data shows that it is not as clean as zero emission vehicles and not much better than diesel, so the focus with these regulations is on zero-emission trucks only, including both plug-in and hydrogen-fueled.
CARB says that the regulations in question will save $26.5bn in statewide health benefits from lower emissions of dangerous pollutants, and an additional $48bn in net savings to fleets from lower operational costs. These numbers don’t include other environmental benefits beyond the direct benefits to human health through higher air quality and cost benefits to fleet operators.
While initial costs can be high for purchasing new electric vehicles, particularly heavy-duty vehicles, tens of billions in funding is available in the form of purchase incentives (both at the state and federal level) and utility infrastructure installation programs. Availability of funding is one reason that CARB felt confident pushing regulations forward.
