The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently announced a new partnership with some of the nation’s biggest truck manufacturers in an effort to advance zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technology in the commercial trucking industry.
CARB, along with the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, is joining forces with Cummins Inc., Daimler Truck North America, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Hino Motors Ltd. Inc., Isuzu Technical Center of America Inc., Navistar Inc., PACCAR Inc., Stellantis N.V. and Volvo Group North America.
Called the Clean Truck Partnership, the new group is committing to meet California’s vehicle standards that will require the sale and adoption of zero-emissions technology (regardless of whether any other entity challenges California’s authority to set more stringent emissions standards under the federal Clean Air Act, notes CARB). In turn, CARB has agreed to work collaboratively with manufacturers to provide reasonable lead time to meet its requirements.
“The unprecedented collaboration between California regulators and truck manufacturers marks a new era in our zero-emission future, where we work together to address the needs of both the trucking industry and the Californians who deserve to breathe clean air,” says CARB’s chair, Liane Randolph. “This agreement makes it clear that we have shared goals to tackle pollution and climate change and to ensure the success of the truck owners and operators who provide critical services to California’s economy.”
The terms of the Clean Truck Partnership include as follows:
-CARB will align with the EPA’s 2027 regulations for nitrogen oxide emissions. CARB also will modify elements of the 2024 NOx emission regulations for which manufacturers will provide offsets as necessary to maintain California’s emission targets;
-CARB commits to providing no less than four years of lead time and at least three years of regulatory stability before imposing new requirements; and
-Truck manufacturers commit to meeting CARB’s zero-emission and criteria pollutant regulations in the state regardless of any attempts by other entities to challenge California’s authority.
The Clean Truck Partnership comes as California prepares for the implementation of its rules that will put in place a phased-in transition toward 100% sale and use of zero-emissions technology for medium- and-heavy duty vehicles (under CARB’s Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Fleets rule by 2045). In March, the Biden administration approved California’s waiver under the federal Clean Air Act to allow the state to become the first in the world to require zero-emissions technology for trucks. By working together, California air quality regulators and truck manufacturers will ensure that the technology, infrastructure and supply will be available to meet the state’s ambitious clean air goals, says CARB.
“We appreciate CARB’s commitment to providing flexibilities as we transition to zero emissions, and for their efforts to align with EPA’s 2027 standards,” says Shelley A. Knust, vice president of product compliance and regulatory affairs for Cummins. “We also welcome CARB’s commitment to collaborate in the further development of ZEV infrastructure needed for our customers to adopt these technologies. These actions will enable Cummins to improve product availability for our customers while delivering significant emissions reductions.”
