Electric trucks cost too much. California has a law for that.

California just signed a new law, SB1213, aimed at bringing down the cost of electric semi trucks. Starting in 2027, truck manufacturers will have to share pricing data with state agencies if their trucks are going to qualify for state incentive programs. The idea is to stop manufacturers from charging more in California than elsewhere, something regulators already caught happening: a 2024 state report found electric Class 8 trucks (the big heavy-duty kind) averaged $436,000 in California, about $87,000 more than in Europe.

This is mainly industry and freight policy, not a homeowner program, but it touches your area if you live near a port, warehouse district, or trucking corridor, since these vehicles are a major source of local air pollution. The law also directs the state to explore new financing tools, like guarantees on the resale value of used electric trucks, to make it easier for banks to offer loans on them. That matters because electric trucks still cost two to three times more upfront than diesel ones, even though they're cheaper to run and maintain over time.

Separately, charging infrastructure for these trucks has been expanding fast, especially around Southern California's ports and the Inland Empire, with more than 200 stations now tracked nationwide, more than double the count from 2024. None of this changes anything about home energy upgrades or rebates, but it is part of the same broader shift toward electrifying vehicles and transportation across the state.