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Twenty-four environmental, health, and labor organizations are calling on Paccar, Cummins, and Daimler to reverse their support for rollbacks of the EPA's heavy-duty NOx emissions standards. The authors argue that these companies are contradicting their own public commitments to investors regarding their readiness for 2027 standards. The statement highlights that heavy-duty vehicles account for 59% of the transportation sector's NOx emissions and 55% of its particulate pollution, disproportionately impacting drivers and communities near highways and ports. The organizations assert that the necessary technology, such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and aftertreatment systems, is already proven and used in markets like Europe and China.

A coalition of environmental, health, and labor organizations argues that the American Trucking Associations' (ATA) push to weaken EPA heavy-duty NOx standards would harm public health, burden truck drivers, and hinder US market competitiveness. The authors assert that manufacturers are prepared for the 2027 benchmarks and that the transition to cleaner technology is essential to reduce the disproportionate pollution caused by heavy-duty vehicles.

RMI analysis indicates that flexible service connections—agreements where charging sites curtail load during peak hours—could allow PG&E's feeders to support an additional 25,000 to 70,000 heavy-duty trucks per year. The study finds that shifting just 1 megawatt of load away from peak hours would enable the majority of feeders to charge 10 more trucks than traditional planning allows, often with minimal operational impact since most trucks are parked during peak grid hours.

The briefing examines the grid constraints facing electric truck charging depots, which often require 5–10 MW per site and have shorter development timelines than traditional large loads. It proposes 'flexible service connections'—agreements where utilities provide higher power capacity during off-peak periods in exchange for managed consumption—as a solution to avoid costly and slow infrastructure upgrades. RMI analysis indicates that many fleets in California and New York can shift charging to overnight or solar-peak hours without altering operations, potentially reducing capital costs by 40% to 70%. The document highlights pilots by National Grid, Southern California Edison, and PG&E, noting that PG&E's Flex Connect program enabled PepsiCo to expand its electric fleet 18 months faster than conventional planning, saving an estimated $1 million in fuel costs.

The report finds that the five largest incumbent light-duty vehicle manufacturers are making inadequate progress in transitioning to electric mobility. Most assessed companies have 2030 emission reduction targets that are critically insufficient and long-term net-zero pledges that lack concrete substantiation. While some companies have committed to procuring near-zero emission steel and aluminium, other critical transitions, such as reducing battery production emissions and improving electric vehicle efficiency, are largely neglected. The analysis highlights a significant gap between corporate pledges and the 1.5°C-compatible pathways required for the passenger transport sector.

As of October 2024, there are 12,241 committed electric school buses in the U.S., with nearly 5,000 already delivered or operating. Adoption is heavily driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which funds 67% of all commitments and prioritizes high-poverty, rural, and tribal districts. While California leads in absolute numbers, the Northeast and Midwest have seen significant percentage increases. Seven states have enacted statutory zero-emission transition requirements, and WRI projects that 62% of all school bus sales will be electric by 2032 following revised EPA greenhouse gas emission standards.

The document identifies the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles as critical for meeting US climate targets, given that trucks contribute 23 percent of the US transportation sector's carbon footprint. It argues that inadequate charging infrastructure is the primary bottleneck, as high-powered chargers (50 to 750+ kW) often necessitate costly and slow grid upgrades. Using Geotab ITS telematics data from 15 states adopting the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rule, the report aims to provide stakeholders with data on energy demand, grid impact, investment needs, and equitable prioritization of infrastructure.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the EPA to finalize Phase 3 regulations for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) covering model years 2027-2032. The document highlights that HDVs contribute 59% of ozone- and particle-forming NOx emissions and 55% of particle pollution in the US, leading to significant health damages and deaths. It asserts that the industry is already transitioning toward zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), citing new battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) models from manufacturers like Mercedes, Nikola, and Tesla. Furthermore, the document details extensive federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) intended to build out charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure, arguing that these resources make strong regulatory standards feasible and necessary.

The Clean Air Task Force recommends that the EU implement a 100% CO2 emissions reduction target for new heavy-duty trucks by 2035, remove incentives for low-emission vehicles by 2030, and eliminate loopholes like the 'carbon correction factor'. The author asserts that zero-emission technologies, such as battery electric and fuel cells, are already commercially available and that regulatory certainty is required to prevent the EU from losing up to 11% of its market to China and the US by 2035. Adopting these standards is projected to add 27 billion EUR to the EU GDP and create 23,000 jobs.

A statement signed by over 1,000 experts calling on the U.S. EPA to implement the strongest possible emissions standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. The signatories argue that zero-emission vehicles are currently available and that the EPA should mandate 100% electric new vehicle sales by 2035 to protect public health and address the climate crisis, particularly in environmental justice communities.

The document examines the transition to electric semi-trucks in the U.S., noting that while they offer significant public health benefits and lower total cost of ownership, high upfront costs and limited charging infrastructure remain hurdles. It details how federal legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to accelerate cost parity and infrastructure deployment.

The document outlines the transition of the U.S. trucking industry toward electric semi-trucks, highlighting public health benefits and lower total cost of ownership against challenges like high upfront costs and limited charging infrastructure. It details how federal laws, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as state-level initiatives, are working to achieve cost parity with diesel vehicles and expand charging networks.

The report finds that the IRA will significantly accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the US, potentially exceeding the Biden administration's 2030 targets. However, the authors argue that these incentives alone are insufficient to meet the US Nationally Determined Contribution or the Paris Agreement goals, necessitating additional federal GHG standards and investments in infrastructure and manufacturing.

Heavy-duty vehicles, defined as those weighing over 10,000 pounds, contribute disproportionately to global warming and local air pollution. Despite making up only 10% of vehicles on the road, they generate over 25% of transportation sector emissions. Diesel engines emit nitrogen oxides (NOx), ground-level ozone, and particulate matter (PM), which cause respiratory and heart diseases and increase cancer risks. These pollutants disproportionately affect low-income BIPOC communities located near highways. The document argues that switching to electric heavy-duty vehicles can eliminate tailpipe emissions and reduce operating costs, while emphasizing the need for stricter emissions limits on remaining diesel trucks due to their long operational lifespans.

A coalition of organizations advocates for Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission to adopt clean truck rules to mitigate the health impacts of diesel pollution in marginalized communities, specifically those along the I-70 corridor.

The policy brief argues that the Build Back Better Act's EV incentives would accelerate market transformation, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution-related deaths while boosting U.S. manufacturing. It details specific tax credits for passenger and heavy-duty vehicles, emphasizes the importance of income caps to reach moderate earners, and explains how BBB charging infrastructure complements the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by focusing on community-level access.

The report evaluates three emissions reduction pathways for EU heavy-duty vehicles, concluding that a combination of electrification, energy efficiency, and biofuels is necessary to reach ambitious targets. While the EU's 'Fit for 55' plan suggests a modest 4% reduction by 2030, a linear path to net-zero by 2050 would require a 35% reduction by 2030. The authors estimate that combining all available measures—including a 50% electric share of new truck registrations—would yield a 24% reduction by 2030, still falling short of the most aggressive linear pathway.

The briefing argues that the EU's 'Fit for 55' package underestimates the decarbonization potential of the heavy-duty vehicle sector. SEI analysis indicates that simultaneous action across three key areas—energy efficiency, electrification, and biofuels—could reduce heavy-duty vehicle emissions by 24% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The document emphasizes that no single measure is sufficient and that policymakers must balance these options to account for long vehicle stock renewal cycles and potential underperformance in specific areas.

The analysis identifies significant potential for hydrogen adoption in Estonia's transport, industrial, energy, and building sectors. Under an ambitious scenario by 2050, Estonia could avoid 2.2 to 4.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and create up to 42,432 jobs, requiring total investments between 22.4 and 44.7 billion euros. The report highlights shipping and rail transport as high-potential areas due to technology maturity and high energy demand, while suggesting that ammonia and methanol production could turn Estonia from an importer to an exporter. Achieving these goals would require substantial increases in renewable electricity capacity, potentially doubling current demand projections, and a comprehensive national hydrogen strategy to coordinate regulatory and financial support.

The Agenda 2030 Compass is a proof-of-concept tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Jernkontoret, and Swedish steel producers to evaluate how strategic decisions impact the 17 SDGs. Unlike traditional SDG measurement, the Compass uses a future-oriented, cross-impact methodology to assess direct and indirect effects of new products or policies. Piloted through workshops with approximately 100 participants, the tool was used to compare options such as the use of metallurgic slags and the development of 'green' heavy-duty vehicles. The findings suggest the Swedish steel industry can significantly contribute to the 2030 Agenda and that the methodology is applicable across various industrial and government sectors.