CALSTART applauds the California Air Resources Board
for adopting the Advanced Clean Fleet Rule
PASADENA, Calif. – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on April 28, 2023, voted to adopt their Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule, which requires all medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicle sales in the state to be zero-emission starting in 2036, and outlines a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) transition timeline for public and private MHD fleets.
This rule continues California’s ambitious regulatory push to decarbonize the transportation sector and builds on CALSTART’s work to accelerate MHD vehicle purchases and deployment of ZEV charging and refueling infrastructure.
“CALSTART is proud to be a long-term partner with the state in its commitment to reduce transportation greenhouse gas emissions and grow the clean transportation industry,” says John Boesel, President and CEO of CALSTART. “We have worked hand-in-hand with California in the development and implementation of such programs as HVIP, CORE, EnergIIZE, and Communities in Charge, and look forward to continuing that partnership putting ACF into effect.”
The transportation industry is by far the greatest contributor of harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollutants to California’s environment. In 2019, the transportation sector accounted for almost half of the state’s GHG emissions and a majority of its nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The ACF’s requirements to decarbonize and transition MHD fleets to zero emission are critical in addressing and reversing these effects.
Components of the ACF rule are anticipated to be a boost to ZEV manufacturers and California communities. One such component, for example, accelerates the requirement for 100-percent zero-emission new truck sales to 2036; this change to the ACF rule’s original target of 2040 reflects the increasingly urgent need to address pollution and climate change, as well as acknowledging the significant technological advances and market demand for ZEVs in the last few years – virtually all MHD manufacturers have at least one ZEV model operating commercially on California’s roads right now. Other components of the ACF rule include a defined timeline for transitioning drayage trucks to zero emissions by 2035 and transitioning all public and private MHD fleets to zero emissions by 2042.
The ACF rule also takes into account practical challenges in the phase-out of internal combustion MHD vehicles by setting incremental targets to achieve the rule’s long-term goal to transition all public and private MHD fleets to zero-emissions by 2042, including such options as waivers to account for infrastructure build-out delays and the lack of specialized ZEVs for certain uses.
Advanced Clean Fleets is the latest step taken by the California Air Resources Board in its role as the national leader in zero-emission regulatory, technological, and policy pursuits, and builds off previously adopted regulations like the Advanced Clean Truck and Advanced Clean Car rules. California Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature have complimented the rules with a multi-billion-dollar multi-year ZEV plan to help finance the state’s transition to zero emission.
Make media requests for John Boesel now to discuss the adoption of the ACF rule by contacting [email protected].
About CALSTART
A national nonprofit with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California, Washington, D.C., Central Europe, and partners worldwide, CALSTART works with more than 300 member companies and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry. We knock down barriers to modernization and the adoption of clean vehicles. CALSTART is changing transportation for good.