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California Wants To Ban Diesel Truck Sales As Early as 2024, but Not Everywhere at Once

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) published a thorough document that explains why the internal combustion engine (ICE) needs to be phased out from the truck and light-duty vehicle sectors. But it doesn’t intend on imposing a complete ban everywhere. Here’s what you need to know.
Diesel-powered Trucks 7 photos
Photo: 1320video on YouTube
Semi-trucks at a Half-Mile Race EventSemi-trucks at a Half-Mile Race EventSemi-trucks at a Half-Mile Race EventHyundai XCIENT FCEV Semi-truckHyzon FCEV Semi-truckNikola Tre Alpha FCEV Semi-truck
CARB is the Golden State’s agency responsible for the protection of public health from air pollution and its damaging effects. Renowned worldwide for championing harsh environmental regulations, the Board proposes various rules that impact different sectors. In the U.S., it is regarded as one of the most active agencies in its field and other states have closely followed or already adopted most of its public policies.

CARB argues that the transportation sector is at fault for 41% of total greenhouse gas emissions. This percentage can go up to 50% when emissions from burning fuel are included. At the same time, oxides of nitrogen and fine particulate matter are also produced in a considerable amount by the truck sector. CARB underlines that medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for 25% of the transportation sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. But it also focuses on mobile sources of pollution that impact local communities when mail or packages are delivered.

Greenhouse gases lead to the heating of the planet and are responsible for climate change, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These include – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Now, CARB intends on adopting the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation which would “accelerate the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) in the medium- and heavy-duty truck sector and in light-duty package delivery vehicles.” The latter is already a major concern for e-commerce giants like Amazon and that is why they invested in Rivian and need the automaker’s EDVs on the road as soon as possible.

Semi\-trucks at a Half\-Mile Race Event
Photo: 1320video on YouTube
Ultimately, CARB wants to reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 62% by 2050. To achieve this goal, the agency wants as many zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) on the road as possible. That’s why, for example, California has a recent rule in place that bans the sale of any new gas- and diesel-powered cars by 2035.

For now, we have only two types of ZEVs that have shown potential to become mainstream – the battery-electric (BEV) ones like the Tesla Model 3, and the fuel-cell electric (FCEV) units like the Toyota Mirai. However, CARB considers plug-in hybrids to be ZEVs too, even though they still have an internal combustion engine under the hood and can travel only a couple of miles on electricity alone.

It’s the truck’s turn

Now that fossil fuel-burning passenger vehicles have been dealt with, the Board wants to meet the Governor’s goals for ZEV-only roads by 2045 through the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation.

In summary, this new set of rules aims to:
  • force truck manufacturers to produce and sell ZEVs in California;
  • have California state and local government fleet owners that operate outside low-population counties buy ZEVs for their lineups starting from 2024 in a proportion of 50%, which increases to 100% in 2027;
  • have California state and local government fleet owners that operate in low-population counties add only ZEVs to their lineup starting from 2027;
  • make California state and local government fleet owners track and report their compliance efforts from April 1st, 2024;
  • stop drayage trucks from exceeding their minimum useful life;
  • establish that all new Class 7-8 heavy-duty trucks that visit seaports and railyards must be ZEVs starting from 2024;
  • establish that the sales of all Class 2b-8 vehicles must comprise only ZEVs by 2040;
  • ultimately enforce that all new medium- and heavy-duty 2040 model-year vehicles sold by manufacturers in California must be ZEV, except for emergency vehicles.

Class 2b-8 vehicles are trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating between 8,501 and 10,000 lb (3,856 to 4,536 kg). Class 7 trucks have a gross vehicle weight rating between 26,001 and 33,000 lb (11,794 to 14,969 kg), while Class 8 is a designation applied to trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of over 33,000 lb (14,969 kg). All these ratings include tractor-trailer trucks, more commonly known as semis or eighteen-wheelers.

Hyundai XCIENT FCEV Semi\-truck
Photo: Hyundai
CARB also says in the new regulation that fleets of:
  • box trucks, vans, two-axle buses, yard trucks, and light-duty delivery vehicles must consist of 10% ZEVs by 2025, 25% ZEVs by 2028, 50% ZEVs by 2031, 75% ZEVs by 2033, and 100% ZEVs by 2035;
  • work trucks, day cab tractors, and three-axle buses must consist of 10% ZEVs by 2027, 25% ZEVs by 2030, 50% ZEVs by 2033, 75% ZEVs by 2036, and 100% ZEVs by 2039;
  • sleeper cab tractors and specialty vehicles must consist of 10% ZEVs by 2030, 25% ZEVs by 2033, 50% ZEVs by 2036, 75% ZEVs by 2039, and 100% ZEVs by 2042.

Now, let's wrap it up.

One way or another, the future of transportation is electric

Through this thorough regulation, CARB wants to help communities most impacted by truck traffic avoid the dangers of exposure to an increased level of pollution. This will gradually lead to a complete overhaul of public and private owned fleets, ending with the total replacement of ICE trucks with ZEVs.

CARB estimates that through these new measures it will be able to “save over 5,000 Californian lives” by 2050. At the same time, the anticipated avoidable health issues could spare the state from spending $57 billion.

The Board also anticipates a 307 million metric tons of CO2 reduction by 2050.

The rules – once in force – will apply to California’s cities, counties, public utilities, special districts, local agencies or districts, State government agencies, and private entities.

CARB’s rulemaking process ensures that new rules and regulations aren’t adopted overnight. To guarantee that this proposal moves forward and cannot be stopped in a court of law, everything starts with a staff report and a 45-day hearing notice. Then, documents are sent for administrative approval and the rulemaking process continues according to California’s Administrative Regulations and Rulemaking Law which is an integral part of the Government Code.

Lastly, the entire proposal has been revised by the CARB staff and is available down below. Keep in mind that it does not apply yet as it needs to go through the entire rulemaking process.
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 Download: CARB's Advanced Clean Fleets regulation (PDF)

About the author: Florin Amariei
Florin Amariei profile photo

Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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