New diesel heavy trucks banned in California from 2036
Plans have been put in place to ban the sale of diesel trucks in California by 2036 – and require all trucks to be zero-emission by 2042.
The rules, which are one of the world’s most ambitious targets, is ahead of the current UK commitment to 2040 for a similar ban – and also goes further than other US states by declaring that fleet operators must ensure all vehicles are electric.
It would require firms that operate 50 or more trucks to convert their fleets into electric or hydrogen power – and be zero-emission – by 2042. The first target is for port-based trucks, which must be electric by 2035 – with new sales for such vehicles being zero-emissions by next year, 2024. School transport, which comes under the policy, and waste management trucks must be zero emission by 2027.
The California Air Resources Board approved the new rules, which will see fleets including municipal vehicles such as waste management, as well as commercial trucks of a medium and heavy variety, being zero emission by the dates.
According to the supporters of the plans, it will deliver more than £20m-worth of public health benefits in the state of California – and avoid deaths from pollution. Currently, one third of the state’s nitrogen oxide and a quarter of its fine particle pollution comes from diesel fuel produced by HGVs, despite such vehicles representing 10% of all traffic.
Other American states have embraced similar rules on clean HGVs, but the new rules are the most wide-ranging to-date, it is claimed. California has already put in place a ban on new ICE vehicles from 2035 and 100% renewable energy by 2040.
OEMS in America have opposed the regulations, arguing that there is currently a lack of charging infrastructure for such vehicles – and that the production of such vehicles is more expensive than comparable diesel trucks.
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