Major Fleet Operators Call on States To Expand Clean Vehicle Access Across the U.S.
August 25, 2023 /3BL/ - Commercial fleet operators are urging governors across the country to accelerate and support the shift to zero-emission vehicles by adopting the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rules in their respective states.
In a letter to governors in nine states, members of the Ceres Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance—a coalition of 31 companies representing more than $1.2 trillion in annual revenue and that collectively own, lease or operate more than 2.7 million fleet vehicles in the U.S.— wrote that “by adopting policies like ACT and ACC II, state policymakers can help fleets access the volume and variety of zero-emission vehicle models they need to unlock significant economic, health, and climate benefits.”
Together, the two rules require increasing rates of sales for zero-emission light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles over the coming years. The ACT rule will require significant growth in the production and sale of zero-emission trucks, vans, and other large commercial vehicles by 2035, while the ACC II rule will ultimately require 100% of new light-duty vehicles sold to be zero-emission models by 2035. The letter comes after multiple states last month moved to adopt one or both regulations.
"The Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Cars rules will accelerate and guide the clean vehicle transition, helping to satisfy the strong market demand for zero-emission trucks and vans while sending a clear market signal to companies and utilities to invest in building the charging infrastructure necessary to support them,” said Abby Campbell Singer, Senior Director and Head of Climate and Infrastructure Policy at Siemens USA, a member of the Alliance. “We encourage governors across the country to adopt these key policies and capitalize on the surge in private and public investment available for the clean vehicle transition, benefiting their residents, businesses, and communities."
Alliance members operate more than 830,000 light-duty vehicles across the U.S. and are looking to procure nearly 270,000 zero-emission sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks by 2026. Members also operate more than 300,000 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles across the U.S. and plan to procure more than 60,000 zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2026. While members are committed to electrifying their fleets, and new federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 have helped make the vehicles more affordable, they face a shared challenge of accessing zero-emission vehicle models that meet the unique needs of their businesses at scale. In their letter, Alliance members emphasized that further adoption of both ACT and ACC II would enable major companies to plan more effectively for regional and nationwide rollouts of clean vehicles.
“Leading companies are prepared and excited to put zero-emission fleets on the road to reduce operating costs and meet their climate goals. But to succeed, they need the support of market-enabling policies that expand access to zero-emission models that meet their diverse needs,” said Sara Forni, director of clean vehicles and head of the Alliance at Ceres. “Members of the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance encourage the widespread adoption of the ACT and ACC II rules because they know that these policies will help accelerate the economies of scale that drive down upfront costs and enable the successful electrification of commercial vehicles. The sooner fleet owners and operators can access zero-emission models that meet their needs, the sooner their customers, communities, and state economies will benefit from them.”
Eight states have already adopted the ACT rule, including California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Maryland, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, and New Mexico are all in the process of adopting the rule. States that have finalized adoption of the ACC II rule include California, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Colorado and Maryland are expected to finalize their adoption of the ACC II rule this fall, while Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Rhode Island are all working to complete the process before the end of 2023.
The transportation sector remains the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and a top priority sector for the Ceres Ambition 2030 initiative, which aims to decarbonize the six highest emitting sectors in the U.S. economy. By advocating for the expansion of zero-emission vehicles throughout the U.S., Ceres and the Alliance aim to spearhead a positive transformation within the transportation sector.
About Ceres
Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.
Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org, 617-247-0700 ext. 214
