Experts—WA EV Mandates Threaten State’s Supply Chain

Much like they have done in the past, the WA state legislature copied CA again when it came to enacting EV mandates and standards, but some of them threaten the state's supply chain. The Democrat-controlled legislature follows California's lead on most environmental issues, instead of considering what works for WA.

   New EV Mandates will significantly cripple the state's economy

According to information from the WTA, Washington Trucking Association, the required phasing out of gas or diesel-powered trucks doesn't look good.

90 percent of consumer goods in WA arrive by truck, and due to the state's varied landscape and sometimes long distances required to haul products, new EV mandates could severely affect the economy.

According to the WTA, by way of Yahoo Finance:

"At issue is the state’s adoption of California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) program. ACT is meant to move the industry toward zero emissions for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Beginning next year, 7% of all heavy-duty trucks sold in Washington must be ZEVs. As manufacturers work toward compliance, Washington truck dealers are being forced to sell new ZEVs before they can sell legacy trucks."

ZEV stands for zero-emission vehicle. ZEV trucks cost upwards of two-and-a-half times more than a traditional vehicle, they have very limited range and their payload capacity is far below that of gas or diesel units.

When it comes to semi-trucks, there are no comparable EV units that can deliver the same, or even close, performance.

UW researchers confirm what the WTA and truckers have been saying for several years.  Our state's lack of charging stations would make EV truck use impossible for 90 percent of existing freight routes.

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What will eventually happen, if the escalated truck EV mandates continue, many trucking companies will withdraw service from and stop operating in WA state. They will opt for more business-friendly locations, leaving WA state like it was during the COVID pandemic--only a lot worse.

According to Yahoo (WTA):

"To remain viable, operators will either maintain their current fleets, operating older, less efficient trucks longer, or shrink their Washington footprint in favor of states that haven’t adopted the ACT program."