On Wednesday, California’s trucking sector engaged in discussions about the future of its vehicle lineup after the demise of the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule, which eliminated any state requirement to purchase zero-emission vehicles.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) effectively ended the ACF when it chose to withdraw its Clean Air Act waiver request to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If approved, this waiver would have allowed the regulation to progress. However, the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule remains active and has received an EPA waiver.
As a result, there is considerable uncertainty, with one certainty being the immediate absence of the ACF mandate.
Influences Behind the Decision
The prevalent assumption is that CARB’s waiver withdrawal was motivated by the likelihood of a Trump administration denying it. However, several individuals familiar with the situation believe this perspective is overly simplistic.
According to Matt Schrap, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association, despite expectations for a waiver to be granted before the transition to a new administration, it never materialized. This likely prompted CARB to reconsider its position.
Concerns Over ACF Goals
Both Kedzie and Schrap suggested that the ACF’s objectives might have been excessively ambitious and impractical, contributing to EPA’s hesitancy. “The feedback received and the projected pathways didn’t align with reality,” Kedzie noted, emphasizing that this wasn’t solely about political changes.
Chris Shimoda from the California Trucking Association added that various implementation challenges, including infrastructure limitations, were not fully understood at the time of the rule discussions, impacting the feasibility of the ACF.
Impact on Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Trucks
The ACF included multiple mandates, such as limitations on the duration of internal combustion engine vehicles in service, ultimately expecting to phase out all such trucks by around 2045. Following the decision to withdraw the waiver, California now faces a complex situation: a policy mandating increased zero-emission vehicle sales without an obligation to purchase them.
Hoheisel pointed out that this lack of requirement could lead to decreased sales of ICE trucks in states adopting the ACT. “You’re likely to witness a decline in diesel sales, and dealership networks may struggle,” he advised.
Future Uncertainties and Regulations
Additionally, questions arise regarding whether the incoming Trump administration will attempt to revoke the ACT waiver granted to CARB. Reactions from the American Truck Dealers Association suggest support for such actions, indicating a push for feasible emissions regulations.
While CARB suggests it will work to maintain its current waivers, the immediate fallout from the ACF’s cessation might include an end to the previously anticipated requirement that only zero-emission vehicles could register with California’s drayage registry as of January 1, 2024.
Ultimately, stakeholders in California face a challenging and uncertain regulatory environment, as they must navigate new dynamics in the state’s trucking policies without the ACF’s intended structure.
