Energy Exchange: California

By Lindsay Shigetomi It’s one thing to see electric trucks on the showroom floor, but it’s an entirely different feeling to see them out in the wild. Earlier this month, I attended a ribbon-cutting event in South El Monte, California — one of the largest freight hubs in America — to celebrate the roll-out of […]

By Katelyn Roedner Sutter and Daniel Barad Last month, the California Air Resources Board unanimously voted to adopt the Advanced Clean Fleets Rule, which sets purchase requirements for private and government fleets to increasingly transition to zero-emission trucks, and sets a 100% sales requirement for manufacturers in 2036.  Advocates and communities across the board lauded […]

By Lauren Navarro & Pamela MacDougall California air regulators are currently considering adoption of the Advanced Clean Fleets rule — a purchase requirement for medium and heavy-duty fleets to adopt an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks. This rule has the potential to be transformative. California has some of the worst air quality in the country; […]

By Michael Colvin and Larissa Koehler Last month California took another significant step forward in advancing the deployment of zero-emission vehicles, with the adoption of a Transportation Electrification Framework by the state’s Public Utilities Commission.  The framework establishes a $1 billion, 5-year suite of programs, and it provides a pathway for the state’s large electric […]

This summer, California made national news by adopting a rule that will require all new passenger vehicle sales to be zero emission by 2035. At the same time, the state is also considering a complementary rule to replace medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses to also be zero emissions. To support this transition, California will […]

By: Katelyn Roedner Sutter and Michael Colvin This past summer, Californians have been hit hard by inflation: rising food costs, utility bills and nowhere more obviously than at the gas pump. The cost to fill up a tank has many potential causes and lots of experts are weighing in — see here, here and here. […]

By Lauren Navarro and Tom Cackette Update 4/11/23: This blog has been amended to incorporate changes to the proposed ACF rule made by CARB staff.   The Advanced Clean Fleets rule is a requirement for medium- and heavy-duty fleets to purchase an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks. The ACF will complement the previously adopted Advanced Clean […]

By Larissa Koehler and Alice Henderson This week, the Environmental Protection Agency is hearing from scientists, mothers, healthcare professionals, public health and environmental advocates – including EDF – and many others who submitted comments in support of California clean truck standards. As EPA works toward finalizing federal heavy-duty emission standards proposed earlier this year, the […]

There is no single fix to the climate, air quality, political and economic challenges facing California, but the state’s early action to electrify its fleet of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is one example of smart policy that can move us in a positive direction. As California’s legislative session concludes in August, lawmakers and the California […]

An ongoing methane leak involving several long-term idle wells in Southern California is raising safety concerns for nearby residents and highlights an important climate issue. Southern California has some of the worst air quality in the country, and leaks like these compound the negative impacts on some of the country’s most vulnerable populations. Both in […]

Update: The California Air Resources Board is hosting a public work group meeting on May 4 at 1:00pm PST to discuss the new Proposed Zero Emission Loan Pilot within the Truck Loan Assistance Program. Stakeholder input is needed to determine how loans should work under SB372. There will be future meetings on other elements of […]

Electric trucks are coming, and they’re coming fast. Just before 2021 drew to a close, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts joined California, Oregon and Washington to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission trucks with the adoption of the Advanced Clean Truck program. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act and the […]

State regulators just approved a first-of-its-kind charging rate for electric trucks and buses in northern California that will make it more affordable for fleet operators to make the switch from diesel to electric. This new “dynamic” rate changes on an hourly basis, offering more opportunities for fleet operators to charge their vehicles when electricity is […]

From vehicle assembly to battery manufacturing, research and training, the zero-emission truck and bus supply chain is supporting thousands of jobs and billions of investments — in California and across the country — according to a new report by EDF released today. That’s good news, because the transition away from fossil fuels in the medium- […]

My children’s daycare, which is on a commercial strip between supermarkets and restaurants, often has three refrigerated trucks idling outside the front door. These diesel trucks can emit harmful pollution, even when they aren’t moving. The impact of transportation pollution on vulnerable populations is often striking. In downtown Oakland, where more than 70% of the […]

By Michael Colvin and Lauren Navarro Gov. Newsom signed a new law today that will help accelerate the much-needed transition to electric trucks and buses. In addition to transforming the California market and cleaning up the state’s air, this law can serve as a national model for other states interested in accelerating the adoption of […]

By Timothy O’Connor and Aileen Nowlan SunPower, a solar power and energy services provider, is starting to ship solar panels in electric heavy-duty trucks powered by — you guessed it — solar energy. The question that communities and investors are starting to ask is, why isn’t everybody? How long can a company go without a […]

Electric trucks are one of the most consequential climate investments companies can make today. These vehicles are increasingly available, able to do the job required of them, and fleets are embracing them. As fleets make the transition to a zero-emission future — especially first movers — they are required to develop solutions to numerous challenges […]

Transitioning to zero-emission trucks and buses is necessary for both climate stability and to protect communities from air pollution. With nearly 23 million diesel-fueled medium and heavy duty trucks and buses operating on roads today in the U.S., moving to zero-emission technology will result in significant investments in manufacturing, infrastructure, operations and maintenance training, research […]

By Larissa Koehler and Casey Horan One year ago today, 15 states and Washington D.C. took a major step toward improving the health of people and our planet by committing to work collaboratively toward decarbonizing their trucking industries. As part of this agreement, these states have vowed to ensure 100% of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles […]