Challenges of Electrifying Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicles in California and How These Challenges Can Be Overcome

Abstract

California is electrifying medium and heavy vehicles (vehicles weighing over 8,500 pounds) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide environmental justice for disadvantaged communities. These vehicles are used for delivery, construction, refuse collection or long haul trucking. The three main challenges of electrification are infrastructure, policy and funding. To address these challenges, policy analysis was used to review California’s policies already in place for electrification of medium and heavy duty vehicles. Comparative analysis was used to look at policies in other countries and environmental programs for strategies to help electrification efforts. California faces a lack of infrastructure of medium and heavy duty electric vehicle chargers and high upfront costs. These costs can be decreased per vehicle with a larger volume of electric vehicles. California has many policies to help support adoption of medium and heavy duty electric vehicles, however they can be expanded by looking China’s program starting electrification in specific cities, Oslo, Norway’s involvement of local government and the state’s solar rollout for a market pull strategy. California has various funding opportunities but more sustained funding is needed to overcome the $195.06 billion funding deficit. To tackle challenges faced by electrification of medium and heavy vehicles in California, policy and funding can be coupled to support each other through mandates and partnerships. Emphasis can be placed on infrastructure and initiatives supporting disadvantaged communities. California can start electrification with delivery vehicles because they have the lowest infrastructure costs and provide opportunities for emission reductions and environmental justice across California