California sets global precedent with first-ever 100 percent sales requirement for zero-emission trucks, paves the way with zero-emission fleet requirements

27 April 2023 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a new rule requiring fleets operating in California to deploy an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) starting in 2024. The rule also sets a 100% zero-emission sales requirement for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles starting in model year 2036. This new rule is the first in the world to extend ZEV requirements to large commercial fleets, and it complements existing ZEV sales requirements for manufacturers while continuing California’s groundbreaking work to advance progressive ZEV policy.

The Advanced Clean Fleets rule is CARB’s latest in a series of regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas and criteria air pollutant emissions from some of the state’s highest-emitting vehicles. Today’s board approval will accelerate the deployment of ZEVs in both public and commercial fleets. Benefits of the rule through 2050 include:

• 327 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided
• 147 thousand tons of nitrogen oxide emissions avoided
• 7 thousand tons of fine particulate matter emissions avoided
• $48 billion in vehicle ownership cost savings
• $26 billion in health benefits

The rule requires the deployment of ZEVs for federal, state, and local fleets as well as large commercial fleets of 50 trucks or more, or with $50 million in annual revenues. CARB sets separate requirements for drayage trucks to fully transition to zero-emission by 2035 via the state’s drayage registry. In complement to these fleet-side rules, CARB advances sales requirements for manufacturers that were first implemented under the Advanced Clean Trucks rule. This new rule requires manufacturers to sell only zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by model year 2036. Twenty-seven national governments have endorsed a Global Memorandum of Understanding that sets the goal of 100% new zero-emission truck sales by 2040. California is the first government to adopt a legally-binding and enforceable 100% sales requirement for zero-emission trucks.

Zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are more efficient than conventional diesel engines and produce zero tailpipe emissions. CARB’s action today means that communities disproportionately exposed to diesel exhaust can expect lower rates of lung cancer, heart disease, and childhood asthma. The rule also represents a significant step toward achieving California’s climate targets.

The Advanced Clean Fleets rule sets a new bar for ZEV policy by mapping the transition to zero-emission for fleets as well as manufacturers. This rule is supported by an ecosystem of progressive climate and transportation policies in California as well as recent federal incentives made available through the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Zero-emission trucks are both technically feasible and deliver significant social and economic benefits,’ says ICCT Heavy-duty vehicles program director Ray Minjares. “With today’s decision, California has re-framed the debate and set the pace for other states and nations to follow.”

Contact:
Claire Buysse, Heavy-duty vehicles Researcher, c.buysse@theicct.org

About the ICCT:
The International Council on Clean Transportation is an independent nonprofit organization founded to provide first-rate, unbiased research and technical and scientific analysis to environmental regulators. Our mission is to improve the environmental performance and energy efficiency of road, marine, and air transportation, in order to benefit public health and mitigate climate change.