Washington D.C. and 15 states have announced its initiative on Tuesday aimed at increasing the number of electric buses and trucks on the road while phasing out the traditional diesel-powered medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
They made this decision to expand the use of electric pick-up trucks, delivery automobiles, vans, school buses, and long-haul trucks. They aim to completely phase out sales of internal-combustion-engine medium- and heavy-duty trucks by the year 2050.
Following the Lead of California
On Tuesday, The Verge reports that fifteen states and Washington D.C. are following the lead of California State in switching all heavy-duty trucks, vans, and buses over to electricity-powered vehicles.
Along with Washington D.C., who signed the agreement are the states of California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
In late June, California's Air Resources Board (CARB) first announced that all commercial trucks and vans in the state must be zero-emission by 2045, with milestones along the way. Way back in 2018, the state said that transit agencies must buy electric-powered buses starting 2029.
According to the New York Governor's Office, the District of Columbia and the group of states have agreed to similar goals to make it "100 percent of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales be zero emission vehicles by 2050, with an interim target of 30 percent zero-emission vehicle sales in these categories of vehicles by 2030."
Though the agreement between states is not legally binding, California has long been pushing for clean energy vehicles. They have been the leaders of this initiative dating back to the passenger vehicle it spearheaded during the 1990s, which helped bring electric cars to stand in the United States.
Now, more than a dozen are following its example on zero-emission passenger vehicles.
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A Move That Most Significantly Reduces the Harmful Effects of Diesel Engine Pollution
The move to change the vehicles to electric ones could be one of the most significant efforts to reduce the harmful effects of diesel engine pollution in the country.
Additionally, it could be a big development in the fight for environmental justice since emissions from diesel-powered commercial vehicles disproportionally harm more Black, Asian, and Latin communities.
During the tenure of Donald Trump's presidency, the state's role as an emissions standard-bearer has been elevated. Trump has spent three years working to roll back environmental protections and moved the United States out of the Paris climate treaty despite the growing climate crisis that humanity is dealing.
Furthermore, Trump rolled back a signature fuel economy standard in March that was passed during Barack Obama's presidency that was meant to be the foundation in fighting against global warming. As a response, California has gotten four automakers to agree to steadily increase standards similar to the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of Obama to put in place.
Car companies such as Daimler, Tesla, Volvo, and China's BYD are now working on electronic medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Likewise, startups Chanje, Arrival, Nikola, and Rivian, which build 100,00 electric delivery vans for Amazon, already have electric trucks in the works as well.
Thanks to BYD and California's Proterra, electric buses are already on the road.
