Ending diesel's dominance in the logistics industry, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), a regulatory body, approved a new law on the 28th of last month that will ban the sale of medium- and heavy-duty diesel trucks starting in 2036. If approved by the federal government, this would be the first ban on new diesel trucks in the United States and the first in the world, and would also extend to mandates for zero-emission trucks, garbage trucks, buses, trucks, and other medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
The new law will first affect California's approximately 1.8 million commercial trucks, including vehicles operated by the state-owned United States Postal Service (USPS) and private companies such as FedEx, UPS, and Amazon.
In 2020, California Governor Gavon Newson issued an executive order requiring all medium- and heavy-duty trucks on California roads to transition to zero-emissions by 2045. CARB's Advanced Clean Fleets rule further specifies the transition deadlines for various vehicle types. The decree still needs to be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Transformation completed in 2035: Last Mile Delivery and yard trucks.
Transformation completed in 2039: Work trucks and day cab tractors without sleeper berths.
Transformation completed in 2042: Sleeper cab tractors and specialized vehicles.
CARB Chairwoman Liane Randolph said in a statement that the regulations provide sufficient assurance to vehicle manufacturers, truck owners, and fuel suppliers that the zero-emission vehicle market and related demand will continue. The American Trucking Associations criticized the policy's lack of flexibility. Association President and CEO Chris Spear said California is setting "unrealistic goals and unachievable timelines" that will increase costs.
While electric trucks have high upfront costs, they actually have lower maintenance and operating costs over time. CARB estimates that electrifying logistics fleets will save $48 billion in truck operating and management costs between 2024 and 2050. According to the commission's calculations, the lifetime cost of purchasing and operating an electric articulated truck in 2035 will range from $765,000 to $1.1 million, compared to $919,000 to $1.2 million for a gasoline or diesel truck. This figure does not include state and federal subsidies for vehicle purchases.
Some major companies have already begun purchasing large, expensive electric trucks. Last month, PepsiCo took delivery of 21 Tesla all-electric trucks for its bottling plant in Sacramento, California. A $4.5 million subsidy from the local air quality district significantly helped. Tesla's electric trucks cost about $2.5 million each, twice as much as a diesel truck. PepsiCo has ordered a total of 100.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/236696)
