California state regulators and some truck manufacturers have faced mounting pushback from truck drivers and red states over its massive push toward statewide electric vehicle (EV) adoption. [emphasis, links added]
After Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in September 2020 to phase out the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles in his state by 2035, the state and several vehicle manufacturers have faced an onslaught of lawsuits related to the new regulations.
Some truck drivers and red states are attempting to thwart the rules that they allege would slow the supply chain and force the “transition to more expensive and less efficient electric trucks,” according to one trucking group.
The Western Propane Gas Association sued the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in August over its Zero-Emission Forklift rule due to the alleged costs it would impose on California forklift owners and operators.
Other trade and trucking organizations criticized CARB’s recently introduced regulations to reduce air pollution.
The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce (AmFree), a business lobbying group, also filed a lawsuit against CARB and several truck manufacturers on Dec. 16, alleging that California has created a “collusive” partnership with heavy-duty truck manufacturers to eliminate internal combustion engines in the state by 2036 gradually.
The lawsuit critiques some of California’s vehicle regulations as “coercive,” and alleges that some truck manufacturers have “obtained a cozy cartel arrangement” with CARB, that will ultimately pass the alleged costs of complying with new regulations onto consumers.
“CARB’s typhoon of coercive and disruptive regulations had its intended effect: manufacturers bent the knee,” the lawsuit alleges.
“In return for recognizing CARB’s suzerainty, however, manufacturers have obtained a cozy cartel arrangement that ensures them a steady stream of supra-competitive profits, subsidies, and tax credits. By acting in lockstep as an industry, this arrangement ensures that the costs will not be borne by the manufacturers, but will be passed downstream to their customers and then to the rest of the country.”
CARB, in July 2023, announced the Clean Truck Partnership — an agreement with several major truck and engine manufacturers aimed at advancing “the development of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) for the commercial trucking industry, which includes flexibility for manufacturers to meet emissions requirements while still reaching the state’s climate and emission reduction goals.”
The agreement stipulates that California will provide the truck and engine makers who entered into this agreement more time to come into compliance with the state’s emissions requirements.
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