Enhanced Air Quality Regulations Set for Heavy-Duty Trucks by EPA

The Biden-Harris Administration is investing heavily in communities across America, using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to promote clean transportation. This ambitious plan includes the development of a national network of EV chargers and alternative-fuel stations.

The Administration's focus extends to the heavy-duty vehicle sector as well. The National Zero Emission Freight Corridor Strategy prioritises high-traffic routes and freight hubs, aiming to catalyse four phases of public and private investment in heavy-duty zero-emission transportation.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is at the forefront of these initiatives. They are working closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including trucking fleets and trade associations, heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers, investor-owned utilities, state and local governments, communities with environmental justice concerns, and environmental and public health NGOs.

The EPA's analysis indicates that the technologies, charging and refueling infrastructure, and supply chains necessary to support these new standards are all viable. They have also committed to actively monitoring and tracking the technologies heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers are developing and deploying, as well as the deployment of heavy-duty vehicle electric charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure.

The final standards align with and support the commitments and billions of dollars' worth of investments from trucking fleets, vehicle manufacturers, and vehicle technology firms. The typical buyer of new clean technology sleeper cabs, vocational vehicles, and day cabs in 2032 when the standards are fully phased in will save money on the upfront cost of the vehicles and recoup any additional costs in two to four years.

Moreover, a purchaser of a heavy-duty truck in 2032 could save between $3,700 and $10,500 on fuel and maintenance costs annually, depending on vehicle type. The heavy-duty vehicle industry is expected to realize annualized savings of $3.5 billion compared to annualized costs of about $1.1 billion from 2027 through 2055.

To further tackle emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, particularly in and around U.S. port communities, the EPA recently announced the launch of the $3 billion Clean Ports Program. Companies supported by President Biden's Investing in America Agenda and U.S. manufacturing investments to advance the Clean Trucks Plan include a range of manufacturers and suppliers involved in clean vehicle and battery production. The agenda promotes domestic manufacturing growth and innovation to reduce emissions and build a clean truck infrastructure, targeting sectors such as battery production, electric vehicle manufacturing, and related supply chains.

These initiatives mark a significant step towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for transportation in America.