New York State Advocates for Electric Semis Amid Challenges
In a push towards sustainability, New York State is urging trucking companies to shift to electric semi-trucks, despite facing significant barriers including high costs, weight limitations, and a shortage of charging stations for commercial vehicles.
News10NBC Investigative Reporter Jennifer Lewke has been examining the intricate details of this initiative for several months.
The state legislature has greenlit the Advance Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation, which requires manufacturers to progressively sell larger percentages of zero-emission vehicles for medium and heavy-duty trucks. However, industry players, including manufacturers, dealers, and transport companies, argue that the sector is not adequately prepared, highlighting that the state has not yet installed the necessary charging infrastructure.
Kendra Hems, President of the Trucking Association of New York, noted the strides already made in reducing emissions. She stated, “It now takes 60 of today’s trucks to produce the same emissions as a single truck from 1988. Our trucks are cleaner than ever, and we are committed to continued progress.”
Despite these advancements, the ACT rule was implemented in January, mandating that dealers must sell an electric semi to earn credits for additional diesel truck sales.
The insufficient charging infrastructure remains a major challenge. Hems pointed out, “The rule was passed in 2021, and in three years, the state has not established any infrastructure.” Currently, there are no commercial charging stations available on the New York State Thruway.
News10NBC addressed the concerns from local trucking businesses to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which clarified that any updates to New York’s regulations are contingent upon changes made by California.
“California has a federal waiver that permits them to regulate vehicles beyond their borders. Other states can adopt these regulations, but they must be identical,” Hems explained. “New York can only amend its regulations once California implements changes.”
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering revising the ACT regulation to offer more compliance options for medium and heavy-duty truck manufacturers based on agreements with their trade association. Following this, the NYS DEC plans to adopt the CARB amendments to bring similar compliance flexibility to New York’s regulations, though no specific timeline has been established.
If changes do not occur soon, Senator Jeremy Cooney (D, Rochester) has proposed legislation to postpone the entire mandate. He expressed to News10NBC, “I am fully committed to New York’s climate objectives for a cleaner, healthier environment. However, it’s crucial to have the infrastructure ready to support zero-emission trucking. I advocate for a regulatory delay from the DEC to ensure these requirements are implemented only when we are adequately prepared to support our transition to clean energy without disrupting current commercial operations.”
