The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) has endorsed the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Act, which was introduced by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and U.S. Representatives Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44), Doris Matsui (D-CA-6), Ann Kuster (D-NH-2), and Yvette Clark (D-NY-9).

The Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Act would require the Environmental Protection Agency administrator to establish a rebate program to promote the purchase and installation of electric vehicle supply equipment for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. ZETA says in 2019, medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles accounted for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions and 57% of deadly particulate matter emissions in the transportation sector—despite representing less than 10% of all vehicle miles traveled. The transportation sector is the largest contributor to the United States’ total emissions, according to ZETA.

ZETA says a recent report found that manufacturing and installing charging infrastructure creates more than twelve jobs per million dollars of investment, which is a better job-to-cost ratio than highway maintenance or traditional car manufacturing. In addition, ZETA says studies indicate that the availability of charging infrastructure is closely correlated with the size of the vehicle fleet. This bill’s rebate program would facilitate the expansion of the national charging network for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles, which will pave the way toward increasing the number of these vehicles on the road.