Drayage trucks servicing the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach must have zero emissions starting 1 January 2024. This requirement is part of the new Advanced Clean Fleets regulation (ACF) ratified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on 28 April, which aims at deploying medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) everywhere feasible in California.

The new rule includes several types of vehicles, such as off-road tractors and vehicles used to move cargo inside the ports. However, according to Maritime Executive, drayage trucks will be among the first to be targeted. The ACF is also expected to bring sales of combustion trucks in the state to an end by 2036.

CARB claims that vehicles in California account for 25% of on-road greenhouse gas emissions and more than 35% of nitrogen oxide emissions generated by transportation in the state. Therefore, the board believes the new regulation could save California nearly $26.6 billion in health costs by improving air quality for residents.

“The Advanced Clean Fleets rule is a reasonable and innovative approach to clean up the vehicles on our roads and ensure that Californians have the clean air that they want and deserve. At the same time, this rule provides manufacturers, truck owners, and fueling providers the assurance that there will be a market and the demand for zero-emissions vehicles while providing a flexible path to making the transition toward clean air,” says CARB Chair Liane Randolph.

ACF comes as part of California’s existing regulations, which require manufacturers to increase the sale of zero-emission trucks, reports Maritime Executive. It was extended this year to include vehicles at the ports.

Nevertheless, the new rule received criticism from the Harbour Trucking Association (HTA). “Unfortunately, the State of California really doesn’t care how the ACF is going to affect your operations, your employees, or your customers,” commented HTA CEO Matt Scharp in an open letter posted on LinkedIn. According to Scharp, the state of California is trying to fulfil climate change ambitions that are “in no way based in reality.”

“The state is so far behind in getting chargers in the ground for a standard that begins in less than 8 months,” he added, claiming “the challenges are about unrealistic timelines that cannot be supported by the existing infrastructure.”