EPA’s HeavyDuty EV Truck Rule Would Impact Fleets, Cost of Goods

Re-Published With Permission From Construction News and Review

By CNR Staff

Elected officials and trade groups representing businesses across the supply chain are sounding the alarm over the Biden administration’s new emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks which could threaten the speed and cost of goods moving throughout the country.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s 408-page rule – known as the Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later (on light-duty and medium- duty vehicles) was upheld on Oct. 4 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The rule mandates that more than 40 percent of work trucks would need to be electric by model year 2032, and 25 percent of semi-trucks – that currently have zero electric vehicle deployment – would need to be electric by the same deadline.

Trump’s administration is expected to end - or extensively roll back - this and other stricter fuel efficiency standards relative to EVs.

American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers says there is significant uncertainty regarding the technological and infrastructure capability to comply with the rule, which he says may threaten the speed and cost of goods moving throughout the country. “This is yet another example of the former Biden administration’s whole-of-government effort to eliminate choices for American consumers, businesses and industries,” said Sommers.

Chris Spear, American Trucking Institute president and CEO, says the targets are unachievable and will add to the cost of goods for construction material as well as the cost of maintaining fleets specific to construction projects, especially those emanating from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“The ATA opposes this rule in its current form because the post-2030 targets remain entirely unachievable given the current state of zero-emission technology, the lack of charging infrastructure and restrictions on the power grid,” Spear said. “Any regulation that fails to account for the operational realities of trucking will set the industry and America’s supply chain up for failure."

Jim Mullen, executive director of the Clean Freight Coalition, agrees.

“Our members oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s final Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulations for Heavy-Duty VehiclesPhase 3 rule – a regulation that will require the adoption of zero-emissions commercial vehicles at a pace that isn’t possible due to the limits of today’s technology,” said Mullen. “The GHG Phase 3 rule will have detrimental ramifications to the commercial vehicle industry, many small and large businesses, commercial vehicle dealers and their customers. We’re hopeful that the Trump Administration will roll this back."

“Any regulation that fails to account for the operational realities of trucking will set the industry and America’s supply chain up for failure."