California's New Regulations for Zero Emission Heavy-Duty Vehicles and TRUs

Clean Truck Check

The Clean Truck Check program (formerly the Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance program) requires reporting, vehicle testing, and compliance fees for non-gasoline vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 pounds operating in California. Similar to California's Smog Check program for light-duty vehicles, the goal of Clean Truck Check is to ensure that heavy-duty vehicles operating in California remain equipped with properly functioning emissions controls, and when malfunctioning, that these components are repaired in a timely manner.

By December 31, 2023, vehicle owners need to complete registration of their vehicles in the Clean Truck Check database and pay a $30 per vehicle 2023 annual compliance fee.

Advanced Clean Fleets

The Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation applies to fleets that operate drayage vehicles, fleets owned by state, local, and federal government agencies, and high-priority fleets. High-priority fleets are entities that:

• Own, operate, or direct at least one vehicle in California.

• Have either gross annual revenues of $50 million or more, or

• Own, operate, or have common ownership or control of a total of 50 or more vehicles (excluding light-duty package delivery vehicles).

The regulation affects medium- and heavy-duty on-road vehicles with a GVWR greater than 8,500 pounds, off-road yard tractors, and light-duty mail and package delivery vehicles.

Drayage Trucks

• Beginning January 1, 2024, all drayage trucks operating in California must be registered in the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Online System.

• Non-zero-emission "legacy" drayage trucks may register in the CARB Online System through December 31, 2023.

• Legacy drayage trucks can continue to operate through their minimum useful life, which is typically 18 years.

• Beginning January 1, 2024, only zero-emission drayage trucks may register in the CARB Online System.

• All drayage trucks entering seaports and intermodal railyards will be required to be zero-emission by 2035.

State and Local Government Fleets

State and local government fleets in California are required to purchase zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) for a portion of their annual vehicle purchases. The specific requirements are as follows:

• Beginning January 1, 2024: 50% of all annual vehicle purchases must be ZEVs.

• Beginning January 1, 2027: 100% of all annual vehicle purchases must be ZEVs.

Small government fleets (those with 10 or fewer vehicles) and those in designated counties are not required to start purchasing ZEVs until January 1, 2027. However, they are encouraged to do so sooner.

State and local government fleet owners may also elect to meet ZEV targets using the ZEV Milestones Option. This option allows them to purchase a mix of ZEVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, as long as they meet certain milestones.

The ZEV Milestones Option is available until January 1, 2030. After that date, all state and local government fleets will be required to purchase 100% ZEVs.

High priority and federal fleets.

High priority and federal fleets must comply with the Model Year Schedule or may elect to use the optional ZEV Milestones Option to phase-in ZEVs into their fleets:

Model Year Schedule: Fleets must purchase only ZEVs beginning in 2024 and, starting January 1, 2025, must remove internal combustion engine vehicles at the end of their useful life as specified in the regulation.

ZEV Milestones Option (Optional): Instead of the Model Year Schedule, fleets may elect to meet ZEV targets as a percentage of the total fleet starting with vehicle types that are most suitable for electrification.

Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM)

The TRU ATCM applies to owners and operators of diesel-fueled TRUs and TRU generator sets that operate in California, regardless of whether they are registered in or outside the state. This regulation requires zero-emission truck TRUs, a PM emission standard for newly manufactured non-truck TRUs, TRU reporting, TRU labeling, facility registration, and fees.

EVC's ZEV Delivers on Healthy Food and Clean Air to LA Communities

EV Choice (EVC), a provider of commercial zero emissions vehicles, delivers on a clean-air, zero emissions step van to facilitate a healthy food full retail mobile grocery store with SNAP and EBT accessibility for the Halo Food Project which is pioneered by the nonprofit, The Niles Foundation, to service disadvantaged, underserved communities in Los Angeles.

The Ford F59 equipped with a SEA-Drive® Power-System allows for this food justice initiative to work to address the root causes of food insecurity in South Los Angeles using an environmentally-friendly, sustainable approach ensuring deliveries are made with clean air in mind. The ZEV was purchased utilizing funds from the Innovative Small E-Fleets (ISEF) program, a California state program that provides point-of-sale rebates doubling standard HVIP incentives to privately-owned trucking companies, nonprofits and independent owner/operators with 20 or fewer trucks. The delivery of the ZEV to the Halo Food Project is a positive example of how the ISEF program is aiding small businesses and non-profits in making an impact in the fight against climate change.

Born and raised in South Los Angeles, The Niles Foundation's Founder and CEO, Shante Walker, grew up seeing a deficit of access, support, leadership programs, environmentally-friendly outdoor open spaces and equitable community development opportunities. Walker's goal in creating The Niles Foundation was to create youth leadership and entrepreneurship for disadvantaged communities in the area.

"We're giving back to even the floors, to look out for those who are overlooked, underserved and historically disadvantaged providing equity and equality where it's needed most," says Walker.

The Halo Food Project also offers nutrition education workshops and materials to help people make healthy choices about the food they eat. Funded by donations from individuals, business and grants, the project is working to improve the health of children and families with the support of volunteers who help to distribute food and provide nutrition education.

"The Halo Food Project is not just any grocery store but a mobile fresh food access grocery store that will benefit very low-income, underserved, underrepresented, disadvantaged and BIPOC communities of LA & South LA," said Walker. "The Niles Foundation’s Halo Food Project grocery store is a farm-direct-to-community that will offer service and products that are healthy, fresh, natural, organic and includes vegan and vegetarian options from locally and regionally sourced farmers, growers and food producers. In addition, we are also lifting up women, LGBTQ and BIPOC producers to supply our grocery store."

The Halo Food Project's innovative approach to addressing food insecurity is making a real difference in the lives of people in need while keeping the whole health and future of these communities in consideration.

"The Niles Foundation believes that equitable solutions need to be approached holistically and inclusively. We could have a vehicle running around town attempting to alleviate one problem by causing another," explained Walker. "While food is a basic need, so is clean air, and we wanted to provide both. This is the entire premise of why The Niles Foundation works to provide greater, better and long-term solutions for our disadvantaged communities. We want to add to decreasing GHG gas emissions while we are decreasing food insecurity at the same time. This is only the beginning. Even just one voice, is still a voice!"

If you are interested in supporting the Halo Food Project from The Niles Foundation, you can donate to the nonprofit or volunteer your time. Learn more about The Niles Foundation and the Halo Food Project here:

The Niles Foundation - https://thenilesfoundation.org

The Halo Food Project - https://thehalofoodproject.com

Contact EVC to learn more about the Innovative Small E-Fleet (ISEF) program for California state funding for zero emissions vehicles to see what a difference it can make!

EV Choice Showcases Hyzon FCEV to Governor Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom is taking clean air action by learning more about the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the market from EV Choice's CEO, Jeramy Ostrander, and Hyzon's Lead Engineer, Sean Reyell, who presented the Hyzon HYHD-110 at World Energy in Paramount for the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership (H2FCP) event in conjunction with the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) focused on clean energy and zero emissions hydrogen technology spotlighting California’s nation-leading transition to clean fuels and broader commitment to green jobs.

"There's a humility at this moment with the world we are living in as it relates to our obligation to address the future head on," said Governor Newsom.

Governor Newsom reviewed California's clean air history spanning half a century leading up to the recently approved Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Rules requiring all medium and heavy-duty vehicles sold in the state be zero emissions by 2036 with the goal of clean truck and bus fleets by 2045 and significantly earlier for certain market segments such as last mile delivery and drayage applications.

"We love to say about our state, the future happens here first. We are America's coming attraction and increasingly, the world's coming attraction. There is no other board, like the Air Resources Board," stated the Governor. "That transition is underway. Those signals have been sent. The policy is under an accelerator, and California, proudly, has led."

Governor Newsom started the event with a tour of World Energy – a renewable fuels company that converted a petroleum refinery to produce clean hydrogen – to see California’s clean energy transition at work. The Governor also marked International Workers’ Day while at World Energy and met with hundreds of union construction workers who are building the next phase of the facility that will produce clean, renewable hydrogen.

“We are here with a sense of urgency, with a sense of intentionality, with a sense of purpose,” said Newsom. “The opportunity is now to dominate the next big thing, and that’s exactly what California is doing."

Following, Ostrander and Reyell detailed features of Hyzon Motor's hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain housed on a Freightliner Cascadia to the Governor informing him multiple orders placed for the vehicle utilizing California HVIP state incentives will be rolling out before the end of the year.

"The Hyzon is on a conventional cab, and there's no payload loss," explained Ostrander distinguishing the Hyzon from other FCEV's on the market.

When asked if the vehicle has been well-received with those currently on the road, Reyell replied, "Yes, and the drivers like the torque!"