California announces transition to all-electric buses by 2040

The Californian Air Resources Board (CARB) has revealed its plan to have an all-electric bus fleet in California by 2040.

The Innovative Clean Transit regulation is part of a state-wide effort to reduce emissions from the transport sector which accounts for around 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. Full adoption of this regulation will result in carbon emissions being reduced by 19 million metric tons from 2020-2050.

This transition will be the first of its kind in the United States and is essential in ensuring California’s climate and air pollution targets are met.

Presently, California is leading the way in the United States for climate policy, by 2045 they aim to run completely on renewable energy. They are also building a high speed rail which will contribute to emission free transport in the state.

The deployment of the new zero-emissions buses are expected to accelerate rapidly in the next few years, from 153 buses today to 1,000 in 2020.

Mary D. Nichols, CARB Chair, said, “A zero-emission public bus fleet means cleaner air for all of us. It dramatically reduces tailpipe pollution from buses in low-income communities and provides multiple benefits especially for transit-dependent riders. Putting more zero-emission buses on our roads will also reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases, and provides cost savings for transit agencies in the long run.” 

This news follows the end of the climate talks at COP24 in Katowice Poland. Despite the U.S pulling out of the Paris Agreement, some representatives joined the important discussions.

Californian State Senator, Bob Wieckowski, spoke of the importance of sustainable mobility at the Sustainable Innovation Forum, alongside COP24. He said: “We have a comprehensive Cap and Trade system in California and we are making substantial investments through our Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund when it comes to sustainable mobility. This funding comes from our Cap and Trade auctions.”

Photograph: GreenPower/CARB