Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has taken legal action against both the Biden Administration and the State of California over electric-vehicle mandates imposed on truck owners and operators nationwide. In response to these mandates, a coalition of 24 states has filed a petition challenging the Biden Administration’s regulation of emissions from heavy-duty vehicles in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Additionally, a separate coalition of 17 states and the Nebraska Trucking Association has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California to block regulations targeting trucking fleet owners and operators.
Attorney General Marshall asserts that the electric-vehicle mandates proposed by President Biden and California pose significant economic challenges for the entire country. He argues that compliance with California’s regulations would require out-of-state companies to invest in expensive electric trucks, potentially costing up to $400,000 per vehicle, as well as the installation of charging infrastructure. Marshall contends that such requirements would burden companies and strain the supply chain, ultimately impacting personal finances nationwide.
The lawsuits challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rule imposing stringent tailpipe emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which effectively promotes the production of electric trucks over traditional internal-combustion vehicles. Critics argue that the infrastructure to support electric trucks is currently insufficient, and electric vehicles have operational limitations such as shorter ranges and longer charging times. Additionally, California’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation, which mandates the transition to electric trucks for certain trucking fleets, is also contested.
Mark Colson, President and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association, supports Attorney General Marshall’s legal action, emphasizing concerns about the impracticality and high costs associated with electric trucks. He advocates for policies that promote innovation and an adaptable approach to emissions reduction. Both lawsuits argue that the federal government and California regulators have overstepped their authority by imposing unrealistic mandates nationwide.
Critics of the regulations argue that electric trucks are less efficient, less reliable, and more expensive than traditional vehicles, and the proposed mandates will increase transportation costs, raise prices for consumer goods, and strain the electric power grid. Attorney General Marshall’s legal challenges aim to prevent what he perceives as government overreach and protect the interests of trucking industry stakeholders and consumers.
