Trucking

American trucking emits a large share of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution and must be transitioned from fossil-fuel powered vehicles to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) powered by batteries. This mission will:

Establish an industry producing electric semi-trucks in 10 years, capable of supplying America and the world for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.

Build a national truck battery charging and swapping infrastructure that can support the entire electrified U.S. trucking fleet.

Ramp up production of small and medium sized electric trucks (and all class 4-7 vehicles) to reach 100% ZEVs in 10 years.

Other goals which are necessary to make the above possible are found in the missions for EVs and clean power, such as improving the grid and providing assistance to utilities to accommodate the needs of truck charging facilities at truck stops, trucking companies, warehouses, and other sites.

The diverse range of vehicles included in this national mission — from small delivery trucks to large semis — requires policymakers to consider each vehicle type's needs and recent progress carefully. Some medium and heavy-duty vehicles, such as buses and delivery vans, already have ZEV options for sale and on the roads. For those vehicles, policymakers simply must accelerate a process already in motion. Other vehicles, particularly the largest ones like long-haul semi-trucks, are more challenging to decarbonize and will require more aggressive public investment and coordination.

We allow a longer timeline for the heaviest vehicles to transition because new battery technology will need to be developed, and the sheer quantity of materials for those large batteries may be difficult to acquire in a short timeframe.

This mission is imperative for two reasons. The first is that fossil fuel-powered trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles are an environmental disaster. Although they represent only about 5% of the total vehicles on the road, they account for approximately 21% of the transportation sector's emissions. Fossil fuel-powered MHDVs also contribute to local pollution that disproportionately harms marginalized communities. Second, the global market for ZEVs is young and undefined — providing America the opportunity to lead the world in manufacturing ZEVs should policymakers and industry leaders act quickly.

This national mission will accomplish its goals with the following and other strategies:

The president will convene leaders from the vehicle manufacturing and fleet operations industries to win their support for the national mission.

The Reconstruction Finance Corporation will invest in new ZEV manufacturing and provide financing to fleet managers to purchase American-made ZEVs.

Incentivizing companies to purchase ZEVs through generous financial subsidies and future a ban on fossil fuel powered-MHDVs.