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

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has mandated that 50% of the state's trucks be zero-emission by 2035 and 100% by 2045. The transition involves prioritizing BEVs for short-haul and HFCEVs for long-haul routes, while requiring massive infrastructure investments in DC fast charging and hydrogen stations. The State of California is supporting this transition through "make ready" infrastructure funding via investor-owned utilities.

• The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has implemented the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which mandates that 50% of trucks in the state be zero-emission by 2035, with the remaining 50% reaching that status by 2045. Truck manufacturers are required to begin shifting a portion of their sales to zero-emission models starting in 2024, with sales increasing annually. Specifically, truck tractors are expected to reach a zero-emission sales rate of 40% by 2035.
• Different zero-emission technologies are suited for different trucking applications. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) technologies are most effective for regional and short-haul routes. In contrast, long-haul trucking, which requires continuous operation and faster fueling times, is better suited for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (HFCEV) designs.
• Transitioning to zero-emission trucking requires significant infrastructure investment in hydrogen and charging stations, with projects typically taking one to three years to complete. Large trucks specifically require DC fast charging infrastructure up to 1 MW, which can cost up to $100,000 per vehicle and necessitate major power supply upgrades at fleet depots.
• To support the vehicle mandate, the State of California provides assistance through three investor-owned utilities to build "make ready" infrastructure for charging systems.

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} }