Zero-Emissions Trucks Are the Future: Let’s Do This

The document discusses the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which mandates that 50% of trucks in the state be zero-emission by 2035 and 100% by 2045. It suggests prioritizing battery electric vehicles (BEV) for short-haul and regional routes, while utilizing hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEV) for long-haul trucking due to range and fueling speed requirements. The author emphasizes that the transition requires massive infrastructure investment, specifically DC fast charging up to 1 MW, which can cost $100,000 per vehicle. The text advocates for collaboration between government, utilities, and industry, highlighting California's 'make ready' infrastructure support as a model for other states.

• The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has implemented the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, requiring that 50% of the state's trucks be zero-emission by 2035 and the remaining 50% by 2045.
• Different zero-emission technologies are suited for different trucking applications: battery electric vehicles (BEV) are best for short-haul and regional routes, whereas hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEV) are better for long-haul duty cycles due to faster fueling and longer range.
• Transitioning to zero-emission trucking requires significant infrastructure investment, including DC fast charging up to 1 MW for larger trucks, which can cost as much as $100,000 per vehicle.
• Infrastructure projects for charging and hydrogen stations typically take one to three years to complete, necessitating an early start to support the vehicle mandates.

APA

RMI (2020). Zero-Emissions Trucks Are the Future: Let’s Do This. https://rmi.org/resources/zero-emissions-trucks-are-the-future-lets-do-this/

Chicago

RMI. Zero-Emissions Trucks Are the Future: Let’s Do This. 2020. https://rmi.org/resources/zero-emissions-trucks-are-the-future-lets-do-this/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=RMI |title=Zero-Emissions Trucks Are the Future: Let’s Do This |date=1 July 2020 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/zero-emissions-trucks-are-the-future-lets-do-this/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{rmi2020zeroemissions, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Zero-Emissions Trucks Are the Future: Let’s Do This}}, publisher = {RMI}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/zero-emissions-trucks-are-the-future-lets-do-this/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }