Big rigs may be going deep green—at least that’s what state air-quality regulators may have planned this week when they consider banning the sale of new diesel mega trucks.
The California Air Resources Board is expected to vote on the matter April 28.
The proposal, first put forward last fall, is intended to curb the smoky diesel exhaust and greenhouse gas (GHG) belched by cargo, garbage and delivery trucks by converting fleets to electric or hydrogen models. Sales of new diesel trucks would end in 2036 and existing trucks would be converted to zero emissions by 2042, according to the state plan.
Effected by the potential new regulation would be federal trucks and fleets owned by companies with more than 49 trucks, including rigs weighing more than 8,500 pounds, and delivery vehicles of such companies as Amazon, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service.
The trucks that would be affected make up about 7% of vehicles on the road, according to calmatters.org—though they represent about 70% of smog-forming nitrogen oxides.
