Massachusetts regulators on Monday said they would delay enforcing new rules requiring truck manufacturers to sell a minimum amount of electric-powered vehicles this year — a reprieve for an industry that had said it was at risk of massive disruption.
The move comes after manufacturers, dealers, and customers had warned that the minimums couldn’t be met because of high prices and a lack of suitable EV models.
Under rules that originated in California and took effect in Massachusetts Jan. 1, manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks had to sell at least 7 percent of electric-powered vehicles this year or be subject to fines and penalties.
Manufacturers, claiming they could not meet the minimums, then imposed strict limits on sales of diesel-powered trucks in the state.
State officials initially rejected requests to waive the rules, citing the need to transition to electric vehicles to reduce air pollution and meet climate goals. That led to an impasse, with local dealers and buyers, ranging from tow truck companies to landscapers and freight haulers, caught in the middle, unable to purchase any new vehicles.
But on Monday, the Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the rules, said manufacturers who could not meet the EV truck minimums in 2025 and 2026 would not be penalized as long as they sold diesel trucks in the state.
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“Manufacturers must continue investing in their manufacturing and distribution networks to ensure a smooth transition to electric trucks,” the department said in a statement. “Massachusetts remains committed to making the transition to electrification work for all and will continue to advance our whole-of-government approach to support this transition in the transportation sector.”
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Of more than 186,000 registered medium- and heavy-duty trucks in Massachusetts at the beginning of the year, only 301 were fully electric or plug-in hybrids, up from 98 a year earlier, according to data from the Registry of Motor Vehicles (By contrast, there were almost 140,000 electric passenger vehicles).
Truck owners have said electric models can cost double or more the price of diesel trucks and are not yet available for all uses. They also noted a lack of adequate charging stations on highways that can handle large trucks.
Environmental groups said the state should not have backed down, and they accused manufacturers of failing to prepare for the rules, which were adopted four years ago with the 2025 start date.
The minimum purchase requirements were “imminently achievable, which is why delaying its enforcement is so regrettable,” said Jason Mathers, associate vice president for the Zero-Emission Truck Initiative at the Environmental Defense Fund. “Massachusetts residents cannot afford to wait.”
The Transportation Association of Massachusetts, representing truck operators and servicers, expressed appreciation for the delay.
“We are eager to collaborate with the Healey Administration, our stakeholder groups of end-users, and manufacturers to continue our efforts to reduce emissions from the transportation sector,” the group said in a statement. “Our hope is that going forward, today’s DEP decision encourages all stakeholders to work together to develop practical and attainable strategies for working towards the additional reduction of emissions from the transportation sector.”
Aaron Pressman can be reached at aaron.pressman@globe.com. Follow him @ampressman.