New EPA Rules for Heavy Trucks Incentivize Switch From Diesel Engines

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency announced tough new tailpipe emission standards Friday for heavy duty vehicles in another bid by President Joe Biden to reduce greenhouse gases.

Although the announcement was welcomed by environmentalists, the trucking industry condemned it as unrealistic and said the new standards are likely to raise shipping costs.

“Heavy-duty vehicles are essential for moving goods and services throughout our country, keeping our economy moving. They’re also significant contributors to pollution from the transportation sector — emissions that are fueling climate change and creating poor air quality in too many American communities,’’ EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

The rules apply mostly to big rig trucks, buses and construction equipment that can be driven on roadways. They will be phased in for model years 2027 through 2032.

The EPA said the stricter regulations would eliminate 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 30 years and reduce health costs and consequences of pollution by $13 billion.

The rules are an outgrowth of Biden’s effort to push the nation toward more electric vehicles.

If the plan proceeds as the Biden administration wants, a quarter of new long-haul trucks and 40% of mid-size trucks would most likely operate on rechargeable batteries by 2032. Currently, less than 2% of new heavy trucks are non-polluting.

The EPA regulations do not specify the kind of motor that would run the trucks, only that they must meet emission standards.

The strict rules, along with manufacturing trends for automotive companies, leave little doubt that nearly all the trucks would be electric. Hydrogen fuel cells and other low-emission vehicles are possible but truck fleet operators generally consider them cost-prohibitive.

Friday’s announcement comes a week after the EPA finalized rules that would make most new cars and light trucks sold in the United States either electric or hybrids by 2032. Less than 8% are all-electric or hybrids now.

The rules follow reports that 2023 was the hottest year on record as emissions of carbon dioxide and methane increase dangers from global warming.

Biden has pledged to decrease U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by half by the end of this decade.

The EPA estimates that 72 million Americans live near roadways with heavy truck traffic that could affect their health.

The new EPA regulations were welcomed by environmentalists and public health advocates.

“Exposure to traffic-related pollution is a serious health hazard to those living in communities with heavy truck traffic,” the American Lung Association said in a statement.

The new rules were not welcomed by the American Trucking Associations.

“ATA opposes this rule in its current form because the post-2030 targets remain entirely unachievable given the current state of zero-emission technology, the lack of charging infrastructure and restrictions on the power grid,” said ATA President Chris Spear.

The trucking industry says heavy trucks that meet the target standards cost two to three times as much as current diesel models.

They also would operate with large batteries that provide less power, thereby requiring truckers to carry lighter loads and to charge higher rates per unit. The result would be higher prices for consumers, according to trucking advocates.

“Given the wide range of operations required of our industry to keep the economy running, a successful emission regulation must be technology neutral and cannot be one-size-fits-all,” Spear said. “Any regulation that fails to account for the operational realities of trucking will set the industry and America’s supply chain up for failure.”

The transportation industry association Clean Freight Coalition released a report this month saying full electrification of the U.S. commercial truck fleet would require nearly $1 trillion in infrastructure investment.

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