Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the intention to roll back the requirement to electrify California fleets.  Passed in 2024, The Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) and the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rules were controversial from the start.  The ACT rule required equipment manufacturers to meet in-state sales benchmarks of zero-emission vehicles, culminating in 100% sales of ZEVs in the state by 2036.  The ACF rule would require applicable businesses to replace existing fossil fuel burning vehicles with ZEVs at certain annual benchmarks.  The passage of the rules was met with immediate legal challenges, and ultimately needed waiver approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in order to enforce the regulation. 

CARB has announced that, as part of their legal settlement with 17 states as well as the California Trucking Association, that the agency will not be enforcing the mandatory ZEV sales requirement on manufacturer’s inventory.  Additionally, changes to the ACT rule remove priority fleets and drayage trucks from being the first equipment category to electrify.  While this is welcomed news for overregulated California industries, CARB intends to wait out the current federal administration with the hopes of reintroducing the waiver petition to EPA during a more favorable presidential cabinet.