Calstart published an inventory of Class 2b-8 zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in the U.S. “Zeroing in on Zero-Emission Trucks.” As of December 2021, 145 ZET models across 30 manufacturers are available for purchase, an increase of 625% from 2019 according to CALSTART’s Zero-Emission Technology Inventory.

“The actual number of deployed vehicles is still quite low, and we do expect to see shifts in delivery dates and actual delivery of those on order as the market players continue to evolve,” said Kevin Walkowicz, senior director of truck programs at Calstart.

The report provides insight on ZET market trends as the industry prepares for an injection of federal funding for charging infrastructure, multiple states implement clean truck regulations, and California prepares to release an additional $873 million in purchase incentives for commercial vehicles and infrastructure.

Current ZET deployments are concentrated in states that have supportive policies and regulations (California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois) or have received federal funds for ZET purchases (Texas, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and Massachusetts). The report notes that medium-duty trucks, cargo vans, and medium-duty step vans are the most frequent type of ZET deployed, accounting for 75% of vehicles deployed as of 2021.

Additional insights include:

· While there are numerous hydrogen fuel cell trucks under development and being demonstrated in the U.S., they are a small percentage of the ZET population.

· The expected delivery times of the 140,000 ZETs on order are between one and ten years.