Fight for Clean Cars and Trucks With ACC II And ACT Now

ACC II – Advanced Clean Cars Connecticut has long been a clean car leader with a history of adopting stronger than federal clean car standards that save residents money at the pump and clean our air.

By adopting the Advanced Clean Cars program (ACC II), Connecticut can again help make our households and our economy less dependent on volatile and costly gasoline and make deep cuts in harmful tailpipe pollution that will save lives. The Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation requires vehicle manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of new zero-emission light-duty vehicles starting in 2026, reaching 100% new sales by 2035. 

This regulation will result in crucial public health, environmental, and economic benefits for Connecticut residents. Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) do not release tailpipe pollution, and will result in cleaner, healthier air, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions for all of Connecticut. 

ACC II Consumer Benefits: Driving on electricity provides cost stability and savings households can bank on. Consumer Reports found that when the national average gas price spiked to around $4.30/gallon in 2022 with electricity prices at about $0.14/kWh, EV owners could save between $1,800 and $2,600 in operating and maintenance costs for every 15,000 miles they drive (the average distance newer vehicles are driven in a year in the U.S.), compared to drivers of gas-powered vehicles.

Another analysis found it’s already less expensive to own and operate an EV than a similar gasoline model. For example, the Ford F-150 Lightning pick-up truck will be 17% cheaper to own than the gas-powered F-150, even though its initial sticker price is higher. EV drivers in Connecticut can save approximately $700 a year in fuel costs and nearly $1,000 per year in maintenance costs for the first 150,000 miles by driving an EV.

The ACC II regulation is designed to provide market certainty and zero-emission technology investments to Connecticut, which can stimulate the creation of high-quality zero-emission manufacturing and charging installation jobs. 

Recent analysis from ICCT estimates that the net benefits of adopting the ACC II rule this year is $272.7 million dollars. Deferring consideration and implementation of ACC II in Connecticut risks hindering the advancement of the market and secondary market for zero-emission light duty vehicles. Under ACC II, we expect to see a rapid and sustainable deployment of new ZEV and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) models, increasing affordable consumer options for clean vehicles in the marketplace.

Connecticut’s adoption of the ACC II rule will ensure that consumers can access the zero-emission vehicles they want in their own state. This is a critical moment for Connecticut to join the wave of states moving towards a clean transportation future, and ensure that constituents can access the full range of economic and health benefits of the transition.

ACT & HDO –  Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) and Heavy Duty Omnibus (HDO)
Big rigs, delivery vehicles, buses and even garbage trucks are the source of some of our most dangerous air pollutants. The ACT rule works year-over-year to gradually increase the supply of zero-emission trucks and buses, diesel trucks and buses will continue to be sold in Connecticut. The HDO rule would ensure that diesel vehicles sold during the transition to zero-emission vehicles are as clean as possible by limiting toxic air pollution from these diesel trucks and buses and requiring that new diesel trucks reduce their NOx emissions 90% by 2027.

Together, the ACT and HDO regulations will result in crucial public health, environmental, and economic benefits for Connecticut residents.

It is vital for Connecticut to adopt the ACT and HDO rules this year to avoid missing a model year and the associated public health, environmental, and economic benefits. Adopting the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) and Heavy Duty Omnibus (HDO) standards will save lives, especially in our most vulnerable populations. To cut harmful air pollution and meet Connecticut’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 75-85 percent below 2001 levels by 2050, Connecticut must adopt the ACT and HDO rules as quickly as possible. Zero-emission medium, and heavy-duty vehicles do not release tailpipe pollution and will result in cleaner, healthier air, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. 

ACT & HDO –  Consumer Benefits: It will be cheaper to own electric trucks than new diesel trucks within just four years.

Eight states have already adopted the ACT rule and seven have adopted the HDO rule including Colorado, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and California. Several more states are considering adoption, including New Mexico, Maryland, and Maine. The more states that adopt ACT and HDO rules, the greater the market-forcing benefits, thereby lowering costs and creating a more stable and self-sustaining market. 

The rules can stimulate the creation of high-quality zero-emission manufacturing and charging installation jobs in our state. Deferring consideration and implementation of ACT and HDO rules in Connecticut risks hindering the advancement of the market for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Deploying ACT and HDO would help CT’s economy by saving $1.2 billion in health-related savings, $467 million in annual net societal benefits in 2050, and $4.3 billion in net cumulative societal benefits.

If Connecticut doesn’t adopt these rules, we could lose out on the clean energy economy emerging in other states and the associated economic benefits.