SACRAMENTO – You Won’t Believe How Truck Manufacturers Are Surpassing Zero-Emission Vehicle Sales Targets Two Years Ahead of Schedule!
In groundbreaking news, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has unveiled a mesmerizing report revealing that truck manufacturers are not only meeting but exceeding the targeted sales of zero-emissions vehicles. What’s even more astonishing is that they have achieved this milestone two years ahead of schedule, highlighting the tremendous interest fleet operators have in zero-emission trucks.
The annual report meticulously tracks how manufacturers are successfully navigating CARB’s landmark regulation, which establishes a phased-in transition towards the sale of 100% zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045. With the approval of the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule in 2020, manufacturers selling more than 500 vehicles in California are obligated to report their vehicle sales, including the number of zero-emission vehicles sold. Although the sales requirements are slated to begin in 2024, the remarkable progress made in 2022 ensures that manufacturers have enough credits to sell internal combustion engine models as necessary to meet market demands.
“The report makes several important points: users are interested in adopting zero-emissions technology; several manufacturers are stepping up to meet that market interest; and the flexibility that we built in to allow for a phased-in transition toward a zero-emissions future is working,” stated CARB’s Executive Officer, Dr. Steven Cliff. “Helping the businesses that rely on trucks to transport goods across the state switch to zero emissions is key to achieving a clean air future, and the data show that progress is well underway.”
The significance of the trucking sector in attaining California’s clean air targets cannot be emphasized enough. While trucks constitute merely 6% of the total vehicles on California’s roads, they contribute to over 35% of the state’s transportation-generated nitrogen oxide emissions and a quarter of its on-road greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, California communities situated near trucking corridors and warehouse locations, often low-income communities of color, bear the brunt of this pollution, experiencing some of the nation’s worst air quality.
To complement the existing sales requirement, CARB also granted approval to the Advanced Clean Fleets rule in April. This rule necessitates a phased-in transition toward zero-emissions options for medium- and heavy-duty fleets. It primarily applies to fleets suitable for electrification, including public fleets, drayage trucks operating at ports and railyards, and fleets from companies or entities with over $50 million in revenue or 50 or more trucks. The implementation of the Advanced Clean Fleets rule further boosts the emerging sales trends, providing an additional impetus for new zero-emissions sales in the market. By 2035, drayage trucks, which significantly impact residents along heavily-traveled corridors, will be required to be zero-emissions. Other fleet owners will have the flexibility to transition a percentage of their vehicles to meet anticipated zero-emission milestones, enabling them to continue utilizing combustion-powered vehicles as needed during the transition to cleaner technology.
To ensure upcoming milestones are met with the required technology, CARB and leading truck and engine companies nationwide have recently entered into an unprecedented Clean Truck Partnership. Participating manufacturers commit to meeting California’s vehicle standards, regardless of any challenges to California’s authority to establish more stringent emissions standards under the federal Clean Air Act. In exchange, CARB has agreed to collaborate with manufacturers to fulfill CARB’s requirements.
CARB has also worked closely with truck manufacturers to facilitate the successful transition of requirements for heavy-duty diesel trucks. In 2020, CARB introduced the Omnibus regulation, which aims to reduce exhaust and smog-forming emissions from heavy-duty internal combustion engine trucks sold in California. This regulation was adopted with flexible measures to enable manufacturers to concentrate their development efforts and new technology rollout across various vehicle types, ensuring a robust supply while achieving emissions reductions. In response to industry feedback, updates to the Omnibus regulation were reviewed during an Executive Officer Hearing on October 20. These updates focus on providing flexibility for manufacturers to meet requirements for model years 2024 through 2026, all while maintaining the state’s emissions targets. Furthermore, a workshop on October 24 will delve into additional implementation considerations for manufacturer flexibilities, specifically examining projects included in the Omnibus regulation to offset emissions deficits generated by legacy engines.
Manufacturers have impressively increased the sale of credit-generating diesel and natural gas engines, thereby reducing smog-forming emissions and bringing cleaner engines to California well ahead of the mandated 2024 Omnibus standards. The combination of credits from zero-emission vehicle sales and collaborative efforts on Omnibus flexibilities paves a clear path forward to continue meeting the heavy-duty market demands in California.
The comprehensive zero-emissions report, which meticulously tracks the sale of various off-road vehicle types, unveils yet another astounding revelation. Manufacturers are confidently on track to surpass the required number of zero-emission tractor sales, further amplifying the positive impact of current sales trends and the distribution of funding vouchers by CARB.
To explore the full report, please click here.
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