Dive Brief:
- California legislators approved a measure last month to require pricing transparency on certain medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission and near-zero emission vehicles.
- OEMs that receive state incentives will have to provide a manufacturer’s suggested retail price on ZEVs available for sale in the state, per the bill.
- The Senate approved the bill last month, with the Assembly agreeing to amendments, preparing it for Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign.
Dive Insight:
Price points for battery-electric commercial vehicles in the U.S. have risen in recent years — in contrast to what’s happening elsewhere across the globe.
Notably, Class 8 battery-electric tractors from model years 2020 to 2025 in the U.S. rose by a median price of 27%, or $87,100, according to an International Council on Clean Transportation working paper.
But in the European Union, the median price declined by 32% during that time for Class 7-8 tractor equivalents, the research found.
The differences could be due to the longer distances and correspondingly larger batteries demanded in North America, higher demand for vehicle warranties, and other factors, such as EU emissions reduction standards, the ICCT reported.
“SB 1213 seeks to address that gap by increasing pricing transparency and competition while strengthening financial tools available to fleets transitioning away from volatile fossil fuel costs,” state Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, who introduced the measure, said in a news release, highlighting the research.
Additionally, Class 7-8 straight trucks in the U.S. did achieve price noteworthy decreases for model years 2024 and 2025 compared to a 2020 model base year. Canada also had a significant, similar improvement for model year 2026 in the ICCT research sample.
