Industry Executives Urge Governor Newsom to Invest More in Clean Commercial Vehicles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 23, 2019
Contact: John Boesel
O: (626)744-5607

Commercial Vehicle Corporate Leaders Urge CA Gov Newsom to Commit to Multi-Year Investment Strategy

Execs Urge CA to Do More to Accelerate Transition to Zero- and Near-Zero Emission Buses and Trucks

PASADENA, Calif. – Eleven senior executives from the U.S. commercial vehicle industry signed a letter on Friday urging California Governor Newsom to make a strong statement in his 2020-21 budget by allocating more funds for zero- and near-zero emission trucks, buses, and non-road equipment.

The letter notes that the demand for clean truck and bus incentives has far exceed available funding in the past two years. It only took two weeks for all of the incentives for the 2020-21 budget to be claimed. The executives urged that the Governor commit funding from the state’s greenhouse gas cap & trade program for zero- and near-zero emission commercial vehicles through 2025.

The executives signing the letter included CEO’s from California companies building electric trucks, buses, and powertrains, as well as global manufacturers such as the Chairman of the Volvo Group, North America and the Vice President-Electrified Power at Cummins Inc. A PDF file of the letter is available for download here.

Unlike the passenger car market, the federal government provides no incentive funding for the purchase of a zero- or near-zero emission truck. As a result, the overwhelming majority of the nation’s zero- and near-zero emission trucks and buses are being deployed in California.

“In the absence of federal leadership, Governor Newsom can make a major impact by calling for sustained funding for zero- and near-emission trucks in his January budget. Not only will such a statement help to create jobs, it will help to significantly improve air quality in disadvantaged communities,” said CALSTART President and CEO, John Boesel.

“As a general rule, there are more trucks and buses operating in disadvantaged communities than in affluent suburban neighborhoods. Cleaning up trucks and buses provides the largest direct air quality benefit of all other programs funded under the state’s greenhouse gas cap and trade program said Boesel.

In the letter the executives state that the Governor can advance a program that can be replicated by other states. If the state makes the requested commitment, the letter states that more than 25,000 new zero- and near-zero emission commercial vehicles would be deployed in California over the next five years.

“California is leading the nation right now in the emerging zero- and near-zero emission commercial vehicle market. Until we are able to convince Congress and the President to implement an incentive for these vehicles at the national level, it will be important for California to step forward and take even bolder action,” said Boesel.

CALSTART | Changing transportation for good

A national nonprofit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado and California, CALSTART partners with 220+ member company and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient and clean high-tech transportation industry. We knock out barriers to modernization and the adoption of clean vehicles. CALSTART is changing transportation for good.

Visit us at www.CALSTART.org