Senate Bill 1213 has passed its final vote and is headed to Governor Gavin Newsom, where it would tie a manufacturer’s eligibility for California’s zero-emission truck incentive programs to disclosing what those trucks cost.
Under the bill, original equipment manufacturers must submit vehicle pricing data, including manufacturers’ suggested retail prices, to remain eligible for state incentive programs such as the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, known as HVIP. Reporting starts January 1, 2027, and covers quarterly MSRPs for zero-emission models sold in California along with final itemized purchase orders showing the base unit price and separate lines for warranties, taxes, fees, and service agreements.
The bill carries enforcement. A manufacturer that does not meet the reporting requirements faces suspension of that model’s eligibility for state incentives, and the California Air Resources Board is authorized to recover funds disbursed on the basis of false data.
On the voucher side, SB 1213 directs CARB to reevaluate voucher caps annually, with attention to fleets serving disadvantaged communities. As reported in April, the bill would also allow vouchers to cover as much as 90% of total vehicle purchase cost, including taxes and delivery fees. The bill separately directs state agencies to examine alternative financing mechanisms, including low-cost loans and residual value guarantees, by 2028.
“California is investing billions to build a cleaner transportation future, and we have a responsibility to make sure those investments are actually bringing down costs and accelerating the transition to cleaner trucks,” said Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, the bill’s author.
The premise behind the bill is a widening gap between what heavy-duty electric trucks cost in the U.S. and what they cost in Europe. Research published by the International Council on Clean Transportation in September 2025, found that U.S. Class 8 battery-electric tractor prices rose 27% between 2020 and 2025, while European Class 7 and 8 battery-electric tractor and straight truck prices fell 32% over a comparable period. The same research reported that California regulators put the U.S. premium on a Class 8 tractor at roughly $57,000, and that state incentives covered nearly 80% of the U.S. battery-electric purchases in the dataset, which is the pool SB 1213’s reporting requirement would reach.
Guillermo Ortiz, senior clean vehicles advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, tied the disclosure requirement to what fleets pay. “By shedding light on commercial vehicle pricing, SB 1213 ensures that California’s public clean transport incentives deliver maximum value to fleet operators, and the market has a path forward to scale,” he said.
The measure moved without recorded opposition. The Assembly passed it 76 to 0 on August 25 after unanimous votes in committee in both houses, and the Senate passed the original version on May 22. Reyes’ office said the bill drew support from clean transportation advocates, business leaders, and goods movement stakeholders.
