Nevada Governor Signs Bill Promoting Electric Semi Trucks
Gov. Steve Sisolak continued to support Nevada’s clean energy economy today when he signed a bill encouraging the deployment of electric heavy-duty trucks to operate on Nevada’s roads and highways.
Assembly Bill 377, sponsored by Assemblyman Howard Watts III, would bring Nevada law into line with new federal guidelines by allowing electric-powered semi trucks, among others, to be exempted from certain weight limits on state roads. This allows these new technologies to compete alongside their traditional diesel-powered counterparts.
Earlier in the 2019 Session, the Legislature passed and Gov. Sisolak signed a landmark bill setting new, strengthened clean energy generation and use standards for Nevada, meaning that light and heavy-duty electric vehicles will be powered by an increasingly cleaner, more reliable grid.
The bill passed 39 to 1 in the Assembly and 20 to 1 in the Nevada Senate. Several bills this session look to increase the use of electric vehicles in Nevada, and the state is poised to reap the economic benefits as a hotspot for the development of both clean energy and electric vehicle technology.
“AB377 marks another step in leveling the playing field in the transportation space, lifting barriers that could prevent innovation and investment opportunities for companies interested in electrifying their fleet,” said Ray Fakhoury, Principal with the Advanced Energy Economy. “The benefits of electrifying Nevada’s transportation sector will reverberate throughout the economy as more EV options come online and the cost to ownership decreases.”
“We applaud Nevada lawmakers and Gov. Sisolak for helping to usher in a clean transportation future,” said Alli Gold Roberts, senior manager of state policy at Ceres, a nonprofit organization working with investors and companies in Nevada. “Corporate transportation and logistics operations are both a significant cost and a major contributor to companies’ carbon footprints. This legislation will help all heavy-duty fleet operators in Nevada unlock the significant benefits of electric vehicles such as lower maintenance and fuel costs.”