With diesel fuel prices nearing $7.50 a gallon in California, one state lawmaker wants to make zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks easier to afford.
Sen. Eloise Gomez Reyes, D-Colton, is pushing a bill to cut the sky-high price of electric trucks.
SB1213 would expand the state’s hybrid and zero-emission truck and bus voucher program. The vouchers could cover up to 90% of the total cost of buying a truck.
Transparency requirements included
Gomez Reyes said the bill takes on a growing gap in the global market. She pointed out that electric truck prices in Europe have dropped 27% in recent years. At the same time, U.S. prices have jumped 32%.
“The rise in the sticker price of these trucks indicates that more needs to be done to ensure our state’s incentives to transition to cleaner fleets are transparent and competitive,” she said.
The bill would add transparency rules for zero-emission vehicle incentives. Manufacturers would have to share the suggested retail price for trucks and buses that could qualify for California’s zero-emission funding.
The cap on how many electric trucks can get vouchers would also go up. On top of that, the state would be told to explore new financing options by 2028.
Low-cost loans and residual value guarantees are part of the plan.
“In communities like the Inland Empire, where goods movement shapes our quality of life, we cannot afford to fall behind in the fight for clean air,” Gomez Reyes said. “SB1213 is designed to make zero-emission trucks more attainable, while prioritizing the health of the communities most impacted by diesel pollution and ensuring cleaner, more responsible industry practices.”
The rules would apply to programs funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the California Clean Fuel Reward or the Clean Transportation Program.
The Senate Environmental Quality Committee approved the bill. It is set for a hearing on May 4 in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
If signed into law, the new rules would take effect on Jan. 1. LL
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