ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Seventeen states, Washington, D.C., and Quebec have signed on to the “Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Action Plan,” which aims for 100% electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicle sales by 2050, reports Utility Dive.

The plan is facilitated by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management. Nearly half of the U.S. population is represented under the plan, as well as 36% of the country’s medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Those jurisdictions participating in the plan have committed to strive for at least 30% electric medium and heavy-duty vehicle sales by 2030, and 100% by 2050.

Several of the participating states have already set their own plans for electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales, and some are more aggressive than the electrification plan outlines. Washington and Oregon adopted California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule, and last year New York set a goal for all new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales to be electric by 2045.

Also included in the plan are action items for utilities and utility regulators to coordinate on a charging infrastructure for these medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles. Utility Dive reports that the plan focuses on creating an equitable electrification transition for underserved communities and workers who have been the most affected by greenhouse gas emissions.

“Taken together, the action plan represents probably the most comprehensive set of policy recommendations for [medium- and heavy-duty] electrification as has ever been assembled, but it’s only as good as the concrete actions that are put in place as a result,” Ryan Gallentine, policy director at Advanced Energy Economy, a trade association that advocates for electrified transport in the U.S., told Utility Dive.

The Fuels Institute and Guidehouse Insights published a study that explores the challenges the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) market faces on the road to decarbonization.

"The MHDV market policies, targets and expectations cannot be the same as those for light-duty vehicles because the MHDV market is vastly more complex," said John Eichberger, Fuels Institute executive director. "Legislators, regulators and corporations need to understand this complexity as they set targets for policy and design incentive mechanisms for market suppliers."

There are a lot of optimistic projections about how fast electric vehicles will become a significant part of the future of transportation. However, none of them take into account the significant roadblocks inhibiting the installation of chargers. A recent NACS Convenience Matters podcast episode explores how convenience stores can and should play an integral role in an electric vehicle future.