California Adopts Nation-Leading Standard to Speed the Transition to Zero-Emission Trucks

(SACRAMENTO, CA ) The California Air Resources Board unanimously voted today to adopt the Advanced Clean Fleets Rule, protecting millions of Californians from the dangerous pollution emitted by new medium- and heavy-duty trucks. 

“Today’s action by CARB will have significant positive health impacts and will help provide benefits for residents in communities exposed to high truck traffic. The Advanced Clean Fleets Rule will speed the transition to zero-emission trucks which is one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce climate pollution, address equity, improve our health and lower the cost of operating these trucks.”

• Katelyn Roedner Sutter, California State Director, Environmental Defense Fund

The Advanced Clean Fleets Rule is a requirement for medium- and heavy-duty fleets to purchase an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks. The ACF will complement the previously adopted Advanced Clean Trucks regulation requiring manufacturers to sell ZEV trucks and school buses. The rule sets a 100% ZEV truck sales target for 2036, with a clear and achievable ramp up for fleets to meet that ultimate 100% zero-emission goal.

At the end of March, the Environmental Protection Agency granted California’s request for a Clean Air Act preemption waiver for the ACT, granting support to this life-saving clean trucks rule, and lending support for California’s efforts to slash pollution from heavy-duty vehicles. 

California has some of the worst air quality in the country; heavy-duty trucks account for only 6% of vehicles on the road in the state, but they make up 9% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and account for a whopping 73% of the nitrogen oxide from vehicles that harms local health. And because these fleets are often associated with warehouses, depots and distribution centers more likely to be sited in already pollution-burdened communities, these vehicles have a significant hand in the disproportionate health impact faced by residents of these communities.

Electric trucks are market-ready in all vehicle classes, and California has made major progress in ZEV truck model availability and fleet commitments in the past few years. Both California regulators and electric utilities are stepping up to commit major public funds and make plans to bring charging online for these vehicles. Recently, California authorized another $1 billion of electric utility customer funds with a majority allocated to help support the fleets making this transition in communities overburdened with diesel truck pollution.

“In adopting such a rule, California’s air regulators have shown confidence that both the zero-emission vehicles and the supportive charging infrastructure will be available in a way that significantly reduces air and climate pollution and provides benefits in the state’s overburdened communities. California is continuing to lead full speed ahead.” 

• Katelyn Roedner Sutter, California State Director, Environmental Defense Fund