Legislation designed to increase market transparency for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is under final consideration in the California Senate.
Senate Bill 1213, authored by Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, requires manufacturers to submit vehicle pricing data, including suggested retail prices, to the state. Companies must comply to maintain eligibility for state incentive programs like the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project.
The bill responds to research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) showing a growing disparity in the global market. While electric truck prices in Europe decreased by 27% in recent years, U.S. prices increased by 32%.
The median price of a model year 2024 battery-electric heavy-duty tractor truck in the United States, according to ICCT, is $379,800—roughly 2.5 times the price of a combustion engine tractor. In China, the median price of the same class and type of vehicle is $119,600.
SB 1213 seeks to address the gap by boosting pricing competition and strengthening financial tools for fleets transitioning away from fossil fuels.
“California is investing billions to build a cleaner transportation future, and we have a responsibility to make sure those investments are actually bringing down costs and accelerating the transition to cleaner trucks,” Reyes said.
Beyond price reporting, SB 1213 directs the California Air Resources Board to reevaluate voucher caps annually to accelerate zero-emission truck deployment, prioritizing fleets that serve disadvantaged communities. It also requires state agencies to explore innovative financing mechanisms by 2028—such as low-cost loans and residual value guarantees—to provide fleets with greater financial certainty.
The legislation has garnered support from business leaders, goods-movement stakeholders, and clean transportation advocates, including Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba.
Guillermo Ortiz, senior clean vehicles advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the measure will ensure public incentives deliver maximum value to fleet operators while providing the market a path to scale.
“Passing this bill will be a decisive victory for fleets and frontline communities alike,” Ortiz said. “It lowers the financial barrier for fleets transitioning away from volatile diesel costs while accelerating the essential clean air benefits our neighborhoods urgently need.”
