CARB, truck and engine manufacturers enter ZEV partnership

Each manufacturer partner has agreed to meet California’s vehicle standards, which will require the sale and adoption of zero-emissions technology in the state. (Photo: Freightliner eCascadia/Daimler Truck)

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is partnering with the country’s leading truck and engine manufacturers and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) to advance the development of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) for the commercial trucking industry. This includes offering flexibility for manufacturers to meet emissions requirements while still reaching the state’s climate and emission reduction goals.

Announced earlier this month, those making up the Clean Truck Partnership include Cummins, Inc., Daimler Truck North America, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, Hino Motors Limited, Inc., Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc., Navistar, Inc., PACCAR Inc., Stellantis N.V., Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association and Volvo Group North America. Under the terms of the agreement:

• CARB will align with EPA’s 2027 regulations for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. CARB also will modify elements of the 2024 NOx emission regulations for which manufacturers will provide offsets as necessary to maintain California’s emission targets.
• CARB commits to providing no less than four years’ lead time and at least three years of regulatory stability before imposing new requirements.
• Truck manufacturers commit to meeting CARB’s zero-emission and criteria pollutant regulations in the state, regardless of whether any other entity challenges California’s authority to set more stringent emissions standards under the federal Clean Air Act.

The Clean Truck Partnership comes as California prepares for implementation of its landmark rules that put in place a phased-in transition toward 100% sale and use of zero-emissions technology for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045 under CARB’s Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Fleets rule. In March, the Biden administration approved California’s waiver under the federal Clean Air Act that allows the state to become the first in the world to require zero-emissions technology for trucks.

Each manufacturer aligned with the Clean Truck Partnership has agreed to meet California’s standards requiring the sale and adoption of zero-emissions technology in the state. CARB will, in turn, provide a reasonable specified lead time to meet its requirements and prior to imposing new regulations, plus will support development of necessary ZEV infrastructure.

As part of the Clean Truck Partnership, CARB will support development of necessary ZEV infrastructure. (Photo: Volvo VNR/Volvo Trucks)

“This agreement enables the regulatory certainty we all need to prepare for a future which will include ever increasing volumes of low- and zero-emissions technologies,” Michael Noonan, director, Product Certification and Compliance for Navistar, said of the agreement.

It will ease the transition to these technologies for manufacturers, their suppliers and end users, as well.

“We appreciate CARB’s commitment to providing flexibilities as we transition to zero emissions, and for their efforts to align with EPA’s 2027 standards,” said Shelley A. Knust, vice president of Product Compliance and Regulatory Affairs for Cummins Inc. “We also welcome CARB’s commitment to collaborate in the further development of ZEV infrastructure needed for our customers to adopt these technologies. These actions will enable Cummins to improve product availability for our customers, while delivering significant emissions reductions.”

“We believe this lays the foundation for our customers to have the greatest possible product availability consistent with California’s climate change and air quality goals,” said Dawn Fenton, Vice President, Government Relations & Public Affairs for Volvo Group North America. “Through cooperative efforts such as this, the Volvo Group believes we can achieve the quickest and least disruptive transition to a commercial zero-emission vehicle future.”