The sales of new zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks in California in 2023 doubled from the prior year, now representing one out of every six new vehicles sold for services that include last-mile delivery, freight transportation and school buses, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
With 18,473 medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) sold in California in 2023, the state exceeded its Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) goal two years ahead of schedule and sold five times the required amount. Since 2021, a total of 26,921 medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs have been sold in California.
“California is once again proving what can be done by turning ambition into action,” says Gov. Gavin Newsom. “We’re achieving our goals years ahead of schedule. The fifth biggest economy in the world is moving away from dirty polluting big rigs and delivery fleets — cleaning our air and protecting public health.”
The latest figures are a preliminary look at annual data that tracks sales of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in California and points to continued momentum for ZEVs ahead of rules that start taking effect later in 2024 requiring the gradual deployment of clean vehicle technology for fleets.
“California set visionary targets to move key transportation sectors toward zero-emissions technology, and the market is stepping up to be part of the solution for cleaner air and climate action well ahead of required targets,” says CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “The data shows that the future is zero-emissions and that fleets are finding value in making the switch early.”
While trucks represent only 6% of the vehicles on California’s roads, they account for over 35% of the state’s transportation-generated nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and a quarter of the state’s on-road greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
ACT requires manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to phase-in the sale of zero-emission options in California as an increasing percentage of sales.
A similar rule has been adopted by 10 other states, including New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Colorado, Rhode Island and Maryland. Together, these 11 states represent over 25% of new heavy-duty vehicle registrations annually in the nation.
The California regulation includes a first-of-its kind requirement for all medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold into California fleets to be zero-emissions beginning in 2036 and is expected to introduce 1,690,000 ZEVs into the California fleets by 2050.
