The California Air Resources Board is betting on electric vehicles. Short-haul and drayage fleets are eligible for a $120,000 CARB incentive for the Kenworth T680E electric heavy-duty truck.
More than 70% of the goods we use every day—from the food we eat to the clothes on our backs—are moved from point A to point B (and C and D) on trucks. As demand for trucking continues to grow, so does congestion, noise, and air pollution. Many in the trucking industry understand that this is a real problem but not enough know that clean trucking solutions exist for small businesses and fleets.
Why Are Zero-Emission Trucks Important?
While the current diesel emissions system is effective, there is an opportunity to take fossil fuels out of the equation with zero-emission trucks.
28% of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions are generated by the transportation sector, according to the U.S. EPA – the most of any sector. In California, medium- and heavy-duty on-road vehicles account for just 7% of all registered vehicles but 32% of NOx emissions, according to CARB’s 2020 Mobile Source Strategy.
That’s why the California Air Resources Board created the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) in 2009. Since its inception, HVIP-funded vehicles have traveled 222 million cleaner-than-diesel miles in California.
The goal of HVIP is to accelerate and facilitate the adoption of low-emitting hybrid, low NOx, and zero-emission trucks and buses. CARB recognizes that these vehicles have the proven ability to reduce greenhouse gasses and pollutants in California and aims to accelerate the penetration of these cleaner vehicles to help meet state clean air regulations and climate change goals.
Aren’t Zero-Emission Trucks Expensive?
With an HVIP voucher, industry-leading vehicles can be as affordable as their traditional fossil-fueled counterparts, enabling purchasers of all sizes to deploy advanced technologies that are cleaner, quieter, and in line with state regulations. Vouchers directly benefit purchasers and dealers – helping close the price gap between advanced technology vehicles and their conventionally fueled counterparts.
Upon its inception a decade ago, HVIP had an immediate impact on the market: From 2010-2012, nearly half of hybrid and zero-emission trucks and buses in the U.S. were purchased through HVIP. And that impact has grown: In 2018 alone, HVIP received $176 million in requests – more than all 8 previous years combined. Requests in 2021 alone totaled more than $240 million.
Is the CARB Incentive for the Kenworth T680E Worth It?
For a fully-electric truck, this model is impressive. The zero-emission Kenworth T680E has an estimated operating range of 150 miles, depending on the application, the company says. The T680E uses a CCS1 DC fast charger with a maximum rate of 120 kWh. This gives it an estimated 3.3-hour charging time.
Kenworth says it worked closely with Meritor on the new model, which features Meritor’s Blue Horizon 14Xe tandem electric powertrain with smooth shifting and operation. The T680E uses a two-speed integrated transmission and has a top speed of 70 MPH.
The non-electric version of this truck is the Kenworth T680 Next Gen, which we reported on earlier this year.
How Do I Get the CARB Incentive for the Kenworth T680E?
Fleets/purchasers do not apply for HVIP vouchers directly. HVIP-eligible dealers are responsible for securing HVIP voucher funding through the online Voucher Processing Center. A purchaser should connect with an HVIP-approved dealer to acquire their vehicle and the dealer will take it from there to acquire the voucher. If you have a trusted dealer relationship or already have a vehicle in mind, connect us with your dealer and we can help them become HVIP-eligible.
How Many CARB Incentive Vouchers Can I Get?
Fleets are eligible for up to 30 vouchers per calendar year. For drayage fleets, the limit is 50 per calendar year. This is great for fleets that are ready to take the plunge into a zero-emission fleet.
About HVIP
The Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) plays a crucial role in the deployment of zero-emission and near-zero-emission technologies. HVIP responds to a key market challenge by making clean vehicles more affordable for fleets through point-of-purchase price reductions.
Launched by the California Air Resources Board in 2009, HVIP is the earliest model in the U.S. to demonstrate the function, flexibility, and effectiveness of first-come-first-served incentives that reduce the incremental cost of commercial vehicles.
This CARB incentive for the Kenworth T680E and other electric and hybrid heavy-duty trucks can be found on the California HVIP website.
