Biden Administration Unveils new Long-Term Infrastructure Plan to Fuel Zero-Emission Trucks, Buses Across the U.S.

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – March. 11, 2023) The Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation today released a detailed charging infrastructure plan to support the wide-scale adoption of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles across the U.S. The plan includes four phases of implementation between 2024 and 2040 and will guide federal and state government and private-sector investments to develop charging infrastructure.  

“Electric trucks are the future of the trucking industry,” said Jason Mathers, associate vice president for Environmental Defense Fund’s zero-emission trucks initiative. “Hundreds of fleets are operating these trucks today or have them on order. This plan prioritizes investments in charging infrastructure to match this path of growth. Today’s announcement meets this moment with a long-term plan that should give fleets the confidence to scale their electrification efforts and state policymakers a roadmap to support the zero-emission transition.”  

For the next several years, most new electric trucks will be in regional operations that return to a set facility each night. This plan focuses near-term investments in urban areas where these trucks are being operated today. The plan also includes a pathway to support longer haul vehicles as they become more common in the years ahead. 

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of a $3 billion commitment from the Environmental Protection Agency last month to fund the transition to zero-emission freight trucks, marine vessels and port handling equipment - and the infrastructure to fuel them – at U.S. ports. It is among a series of major investments in zero-emission trucking from the Biden Administration, including billions of dollars of grants to support the adoption of mass transit and zero-emission school buses, critical tax credits to support fleet purchases of electric trucks and chargers, and investments that support domestic manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles and their major components like batteries. 

EDF recently issued a report that found that proactive infrastructure investments will be central to accelerating the long-term transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles. The report identifies key actions regulators and state legislators can take to allow both public and investor-owned utilities to get ahead of electricity demand growth, making it easier, faster and more affordable for fleets to electrify. 

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