Biden EPA Gives California Special Authority To Phase Out Heavy Duty Gas Trucks

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given California special authority to phase out heavy duty gasoline-powered trucks over the next 20 years. The California Air Resources Board has set guidelines that will require truck manufacturers to enforce increasingly strict standards to promote the use of electric vehicles from 2024 to 2035, aiming for all new truck sales to be zero-emission by 2045. The EPA has granted two waivers of federal standards so California can impose these requirements.

California Governor Gavin Newsom praised the decision, stating that it will help reduce air pollution and protect public health. Other states such as Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington have adopted California’s established truck standards. Automakers are yet to bring comprehensive offerings of electric heavy duty trucks to the mass market, as diesel semi-trucks can travel 2,100 miles on a single tank of gas while the recently launched Tesla Semi only has a range of 500 miles.

The Biden administration has largely been in favor of electric vehicle technology. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, individuals who purchase certain electric cars can receive tax credits between $4,000 and $7,500. The administration has set an ambitious target of ensuring that electric vehicles account for 50% of car sales in the United States by 2030.

Analysts have raised concerns about California’s power grid’s ability to cope with the increased demand that will result from the growth of electric vehicle ownership. Last summer, California officials urged residents to avoid charging their electric cars during a heat wave that threatened to overwhelm the grid and result in blackouts.