A Group of Democratic Senators Envisions a Brighter Transportation Future
A group of Democratic Senators is challenging the Biden administration to take bold action to address the mounting pollution coming from heavy-duty vehicles. The senators sent a letter to the Departments of Energy and Transportation that praised their efforts to build out infrastructure for electric passenger cars, but asserted that more should be done to reduce the emissions of the bigger and heavier vehicle class.
The senators found that the most effective way to reduce emissions in this sector is to invest in a combination of cleaner technologies and infrastructure. On the one hand, addressing the energy efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles will be critical to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. On the other hand, the Senators think that investments in new electric vehicle infrastructure—such as charging hubs and better access to renewable energy—will greatly accelerate the rate of adoption of these vehicles.
Under the Biden administration’s electric vehicle plan, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed creating incentives to reduce the purchase cost of electric heavy-duty vehicles and investing in infrastructure that would make it more convenient for users to charge them. This, combined with the Federal government’s commitment to purchasing electric vehicles, will increase the availability of these vehicles and eventually displace the older, inefficient polluting vehicles still in use today.
The Senators pointed out that the Department of Energy’s ongoing research and development of advanced clean technologies could also help reduce emissions from these vehicles. They proposed funding commercialization of fuel-efficient diesel engine designs, and incentivizing the development of zero-emission technologies including hydrogen fuel cells and compressed natural gas. Further, they argued that investments in additional renewable energy, such as solar and wind, are essential to powering these electric vehicles in the future.
The Senators concluded their letter with an impassioned plea for the Biden administration to take action. They noted that current levels of emissions from heavy-duty vehicles “are completely unacceptable” and proposed a policy agenda that could “spur the necessary innovation and investment needed to reduce emissions from this important sector.”
The Directors of both the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation have released statements in response to the Senators’ letter. The Energy Department said that it was “eager to work with Congress to build out the infrastructure necessary to support electric heavy-duty vehicles.” Meanwhile, the Transportation Department said it is “committed to leading the transition to electric power for heavy-duty vehicles and fleets.”
The Senators’ letter comes at a time when electric vehicles are quickly becoming a part of the transportation landscape. Governments around the world are increasing their efforts to reduce emissions from transportation—and the way forward lies in increased investment in cleaner technologies and infrastructure. By continuing to lead the way on this challenge, the Biden administration will be helping tackle climate change and enabling a cleaner and more sustainable transportation future.
