Illinois agricultural group joins lawsuit to stop electric semi truck mandate

A coalition of states, trucking groups and agricultural organizations are fighting back against a federal electric truck mandate.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is requiring electric models to account for 60% of new delivery trucks and 25% of long-haul tractors by 2032.

The American Petroleum Institute has filed its opening brief in a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals lawsuit challenging the EPA’s heavy-duty vehicle emissions standards.

“Americans overwhelmingly oppose the government telling them what to buy and drive, but this administration’s relentless pursuit of vehicle mandates does just that,” said API Senior Vice President and General Counsel Ryan Meyers. “EPA’s misguided effort to force electrification of America’s trucking industry is contrary to law and threatens to disrupt the nation’s supply chain, leaving consumers in the crosshairs.”

According to the brief, the mandate could create a massive shift in the nation's trucking and logistics industries, will slow down the transportation of essential goods, stress the electric grid and raise prices for Americans.

Agricultural groups, including the Illinois Corn Growers Association, have been vocal in their opposition to the EV mandates.

“That’s very, very concerning to us as producers, but it is also concerning for one, we lose these bushels, two, we lose that demand for ethanol, but three, it really takes away options for the consumers,” said Dave Loos, director of Biofuels.

Mike Kucharski, co-owner of JKC Trucking in Chicago, said the heavy-duty mandate would be crippling to many truck companies.

“About 95% of trucking companies are small businesses operating 10 or fewer trucks, so complying with these mandates would push many carriers out of business,” said Kucharski.

Kucharski added that fully electrifying the U.S. trucking fleet would require a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure investment.