Elon Musk may have threatened to withdraw his Tesla electric vehicle factories from California for his aggressive pandemic policies, but he better start thanking the state for its progressive environmental policies.
The California Air Resources Board adopted a new electrical standard for cargo truck manufacturing in late June. By 2035, the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule (ACT) will require zero-emission trucks, which means that large trucks, deliveries, and semi-trucks will make up the majority of large rig truck sales.
Starting in 2024, truck manufacturers must start producing electric trucks or other zero-emission trucks in some way. State officials note that there are already 70 different types of zero-emission trucks, vans, and buses available from different manufacturers.
For electric truck manufacturers, like Tesla with their Semi truck, this will increase demand for their products, at least in California. Nikola went public with the expectation of an upcoming all-electric cargo truck and van. Both companies only manufacture electric or zero emission vehicles. The Tesla Semi is expected to have a range of 300 to 500 miles. It was supposed to arrive in late 2020, but that timeline is unclear after all the coronavirus closings.
Transport and environmental groups praised the decision. A Sierra Club representative wrote in an email statement: “The ACT Standard will ensure a constant supply of zero-emission trucks. It will serve as a model regulation to address poor air quality and the climate crisis. The future of freight transport in California is electric. “
Others also emphasized victory for air quality. “California’s adoption of the nation’s first zero-emission truck standard is a historic moment for clean air,” Paul Cort, director of Earthjustice’s Right to Zero campaign, said in another statement.
The new rule is part of California’s goal of achieving a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 and then an 80 percent reduction by 2050. The state has already established a requirement for zero-emission buses by 2040.
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