North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper recently signed an executive order mandating an increased number of zero-emission Class 8 vehicles sold in the state. The measure also calls for a study to submit findings by May 2023 to support a formal rule and electric infrastructure.
“North Carolina is already a national hub for truck and bus manufacturing and supply chain development, and we should not miss the opportunity to lead the market-driven transition already underway to cleaner and increasingly cheaper zero-emission technologies that benefit our economy and our communities,” Gov. Cooper reportedly said.
Executive Order 271, also known as “Growing North Carolina’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Market,” is designed to promote the sale of battery-electric and hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles. The move comes on the heels of states such as California and New York implementing regulations to help reduce some of the worst smog and air pollution in the nation.
“Air pollution from buses and trucks predominately powered by diesel engines worsens asthma and other cardio-respiratory illnesses, especially in children and older adults, can trigger heart attacks and strokes, and lead to other negative health impacts,” Gov. Cooper reportedly stated.
Although mostly rural North Carolina enjoys the eleventh-best air quality of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, non-diesel tractors have been a priority among mostly Democrat governors.
N.C. Transportation Secretary J. Eric Boyette indicated the executive order “moves North Carolina closer to a clean transportation economy that will benefit communities across the state. Increasing the use of zero-emission vehicles will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advance environmental justice and create good-paying jobs tied to clean transportation.”
The action calls for the construction and development of electric charging infrastructure by September 2023. These would be erected along major arteries, as well as in relatively rural areas of the state. Upwards of $93.5 million is expected to be funneled from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, along with $109 million in federal funds. Grant applications for federal funding, such as the $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending package, are expected to help further offset the cost to North Carolina taxpayers.
“More and more, companies are beginning to make the shift to electric fleets and want policies put in place that will make this transition easier. At Siemens, we have a goal to electrify our 10,000-vehicle fleet and achieve our net-zero vision by 2030,” John DeBoer, head of Siemens eMobility North America, reportedly said. “Siemens has a strong history in North Carolina, with more than 3,000 employees working across the state and our electrification and automation manufacturing hub in Wendell.”
But the elephant in the room is whether North Carolina has the grid capacity to onboard thousands of EVs and hydrogen trucks and busses. California has just scratched the zero-emission surface and was forced to issue an electric grid warning over Labor Day Weekend, asking residents to not charge vehicles. The West Coast state already deals with annual rolling blackouts because it does not generate enough electricity to support current needs.
Sources: ttnews.com, usa.com
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