For the Climate
Fossil fuel trucks pollute our environment with dangerous levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
Trucks and buses account for only 6.5% of vehicles on the road, but produce 34.5% of greenhouse gas emissions from all vehicles.
In 2017 heavy-duty vehicles accounted for almost 20%, 29,755 tons, of mobile NOx emissions in North Carolina (DEQ, 2021).
The EPA estimates that in 2020, the nationwide medium- and heavy-duty fleet consumed 55.3 billion gallons of fuel and emitted 561 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen oxides and 38,000 metric tons of soot, or fine particulate matter.
Adopting the ACT rule is vital for North Carolina to:
Meet its climate goals: According to a report by the International Council on Clean Transportation, if North Carolina adopts the Advanced Clean Truck Rule, the state would avoid 7.38 million metric tons of cumulative carbon pollution between 2020 and 2050, the equivalent emissions created from over 8 billion pounds of coal being burned.
Remain a leader in clean transportation: Charlotte’s EV first purchasing strategy has proven to be a model for other states. North Carolina also hosts mining, battery, charging infrastructure, and electric truck and bus manufacturing facilities and headquarters including Arrival, Thomas Built Buses, Volvo Heavy Equipment (Mack), Freightliner, Toyota, VinFast, ABB/Hitachi, Siemens, Eaton, and Piedmont Lithium.
Dramatically cut diesel emissions: NOx standards would be cut to about 75 percent below current standards beginning in 2024 and 90 percent below current standards in 2027. The ACT provides a minimum supply of zero-emission vehicles and data that future policies can use to target benefits to the communities most in need.