California regulators voted recently to prohibit the sale of new diesel trucks beyond 2036. In a move aimed at bolstering the state’s already stringent trucking emissions regulations, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has solidified the Advanced Clean Fleet rule. This rule mandates that by 2042, all trucks must be zero-emission vehicles, while also stipulating that 50% of state and local government vehicle fleet purchases should be zero-emissions by 2024, escalating to 100% by 2027. The CARB’s decision surpasses the recent California rules sanctioned by President Joe Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency, which aimed to halve diesel truck sales by 2035.

Unsurprisingly, the trucking industry has raised objections to the measure, primarily expressing concerns about the lack of adequate electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the need for widespread deployment to support the zero-emission mandates.

In addition to California’s groundbreaking initiative, eight other states, collectively representing a significant 25% of the national trucking market, are thought to be considering similar regulations.

Hopefully states proposing these mandates will fully consider the infrastructure requirements and also recently supply chain issues as they implement new regulations.