How quickly can trucking decarbonize? California is about to find out
CanaryMedia.comMay 03, 2023
On Monday, the California Trucking Association (CTA) filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeking to block a state rule requiring truckers to exclusively drive zero-emissions vehicles by 2042.
The California Air Resources Board's Advanced Fleets regulation mandates fleets with 50 or more trucks, as well as drivers servicing ports or rail yards, to switch to zero-emission trucks by the deadline.
Removing polluting commercial trucks from the roads is vital for equity, health, and slowing climate change. Though abiding by California's new regulation — the stiffest of its kind in the country — will be challenging, it will be well worth the effort.
California is wildly exceeding its authority with this regulation. If the state is sure its legislation is the right way forward, it can pursue legal approval from the federal government and work in conjunction with the EPA. Instead, it's trying to push forward this rule to appear an environmental pioneer — this approach will severely damage the trucking industry.
There's a 50% chance that at least 9.6% of vehicles on US roads will be fully electric by 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.