Tailpipe Emission Standards

In September of 2020, Governor Newsome renewed California’s long-standing, nation-leading tailpipe emissions standards through Executive Order N-79-20 directing the following: “It shall be a goal of the State that 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero-emission by 2035. It shall be a further goal of the State that 100 percent of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the State be zero-emission by 2045 for all operations where feasible and by 2035 for drayage trucks. It shall be further a goal of the State to transition to 100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035 where feasible. 

Link 

Advanced Clean Cars II rulemaking here 

Advanced Clean Truck rulemaking here 

Manufacturers who certify Class 2B-8 chassis or complete vehicles with combustion engines are required to sell zero-emission trucks as an increasing percentage of their annual California sales from 2024. By 2035, zero-emission truck/chassis sales would need to be 55 percent of class 2b – 3, 75 percent of class 4 – 8 straight trucks sales, and 40 percent of class 7 – 8. 

Light-duty vehicles: In 2012, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted new light duty vehicle GHG standards for model years 2017 to 2025, calling for a fleet-wide average increase in stringency of between 4 percent and 5 percent per year over those years. In 2012, California also updated the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) program that requires increasing production of plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel-cell electric vehicles from 2018 to 2025.   

Recent regulation of light-duty vehicles is available here .  

Heavy-duty vehicles: In 2023, CARB adopted the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation which requires fleets that are well suited for electrification to reduce emissions through requirements to both phase-in the use of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) for targeted fleets and requirements that manufacturers only manufacture ZEV trucks starting in the 2036 model year. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets 

DEEP developed and published the assessment and determined the adoption of the CARB MHD standards (Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and Low NOx Omnibus rules) were necessary to attain health-based air quality standards and necessary to meet statutorily required emission reduction targets under the GWSA.  

See here 

Connecticut adopted California’s Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) Program in 2005, committing to reducing criteria and greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles through the 2025 model year. The state has also adopted California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which requires increasing production of plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel-cell vehicles from 2018 to 2025 model years with the goal of commercializing advanced vehicle technologies that will reduce emissions and improve energy diversification in the transportation sector. Connecticut proposed regulations to adopt the latest revisions to the LEV, ZEV, ACT and Low NOx Omnibus rules in July 2023 but did not finalize these proposals. As such, Connecticut will revert to the federal motor vehicle control programs for light and medium duty vehicles commencing with the 2026 model year and until such time final regulations are promulgated and implemented in accordance with the ""lead time"" and ""identicality"" provisions of Clean Air Act section 177.  

The state adopted California's Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which requires increasing production of plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel-cell vehicles from 2018 to 2025 and in 2023, adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II (“ACC II”) regulation which sets “credit” requirements for auto manufacturers between 2026 and 2035 for light-duty vehicles and requires that manufacturers generate credits equal to a certain percentage of their vehicle production volume.  The auto manufacturers generate credits by directly selling ZEVs in the applicable state or using one or more of the flexibilities outlined in the rule. 

At the end of 2021, New Jersey adopted Advanced Clean Truck rules which  require manufacturers to sell ZEV trucks at an increasing percentage from 2025 to 2035.  By 2035, zero-emission ZEV truck sales would need to be 55% of Class 2b to 3 truck sales, 75% of Class 4 through 8 straight truck sales, and 40% of truck tractor sales.    

New York adopted California's Low-Emission Vehicle Program in 2005, committing to a 30% reduction in average new vehicle greenhouse gases from 2002 levels by 2016. The state has also adopted California’s Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which requires increasing sales of plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel-cell vehicles from 2018 to 2025. In December 2022, New York adopted California's Advanced Clean Cars II Rule, which requires manufacturers of light-duty vehicles to continue increasing the share of new vehicles sold that are zero-emission, reaching 100% ZEVs for new light-duty vehicles sold by 2035. In December 2021 New York adopted California's Advanced Clean Truck Rule, which requires manufacturers of trucks and buses to sell an increasing number of ZEVs in New York State, which complements New York's legislation that established a goal for 100 percent of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold in the State be zero-emission by 2045, where feasible. 

Last updated: November 2024