Senator Stabenow Announces Support of Zero-Emission Truck Incentives

Federal Purchase Incentives to be Introduced in 117th Congress

December 9, 2020 (LANSING, MI)— Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) signaled in recent comments that she strongly supports and plans to introduce legislation to address the gap in zero-emission truck incentives in the next Congress.

“When we talk lower emissions, carbon neutrality, we have to talk about these larger vehicles, and that will be an important area I’m involved in,” said Stabenow.

The comments were made during her keynote address at the CALSTART Annual Meeting on November 18th. The senator noted the rising volume of truck freight movement as e-commerce rapidly accelerates during the Covid-19 pandemic and affirmed her plans to introduce legislation that provides companies with incentives to purchase medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.

“The legislation will narrow the gap between what it costs to buy an electric or fuel-cell truck versus an internal combustion truck,” she continued.

Stabenow pledged to work closely with CALSTART and its National Zero Emission Truck (ZET) Coalition, which is advocating for strong purchase incentives as the trucks enter early production.

The National ZET Coalition is one of three CALSTART-organized federal coalitions, composed of medium and heavy-duty truck and bus OEM, supplier, utility, and other stakeholders advancing a ZET purchase incentive, infrastructure investments for ZETs, and ZET RD&D. Launched in June 2020, the coalition has over 40 industry members — including the U.S. heavy-duty truck OEMs — and growing.

“CALSTART and its member companies strongly support Senator Stabenow’s leadership call for the U.S. to lead the world in creating a national zero emission truck incentive. Such a policy would help U.S. companies compete in the global race for the zero-emission truck market. Being a leader in this sector will create American jobs, address the climate threat, and clean the air,” said CALSTART President and CEO, John Boesel.

CALSTART | Changing transportation for good

A national nonprofit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, and California and partners world-wide, CALSTART works with 265-member company and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry.

The National ZET Coalition is a CALSTART-organized group of clean commercial vehicle suppliers and manufacturers advocating for federal incentives to purchase zero-emission trucks. The coalition is also seeking federal support for charging and refueling infrastructure and technology development and demonstration funding.

Coalition members include:

ABB * ADOMANI * AMPLY Power * Arrival * Ballard * Black & Veatch * Bollinger Motors * BYD * CALSTART * Chanje * ChargePoint * Climate Resolve * ClipperCreek * Cummins * Daimler * Danfoss * Eaton * eNow * Environmental Defense Fund * Ford * Lion Electric * Mack Trucks * Meritor * Morgan Olson * Motiv Power Systems * Navistar * Nikola Corporation * Odyne Systems * PACCAR * Phoenix Motocars * Proterra * Revolv * Rivian * Roush CleanTech * SDG&E * Southern California Edison * South Coast AQMD * SARTA * Tesla * Viatec * Volvo Trucks