In a collaborative effort to protect public health and accelerate the transition to clean transportation, California is joining with seven other states in committing to develop an action plan to put hundreds of thousands more zero-emission trucks and buses on its roads and highways, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced.
States joining with California on the effort to accelerate deployment of zero-emission trucks and buses are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. The partnering states agree that accelerating the transition to zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles is a critical part of reducing climate-altering carbon pollution and harmful smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter that disproportionately impacts urban communities and people living near major truck routes and distribution hubs.
California has invested nearly $1 billion into a variety of demonstration and pilot projects to accelerate and promote the commercialisation of zero- and near-zero medium and heavy duty trucks and buses. Companies with large fleets, including Pepsico and FedEx, are partners in these initiatives, along with a broad range of other technology partners.
Other participating states are providing incentives for zero emitting freight trucks, transit buses and school buses; introducing electric shuttle and urban buses into transit fleets; allocating Volkswagen settlement funds toward medium- and heavy-duty vehicle electrification; and piloting approaches such as vehicle-to-grid electric school buses.
