FHWA declines to set truck standards in EV charging rule

he Biden administration has largely avoided taking into account the concerns of the trucking industry in rolling out its first set of standards and requirements for a nationwide electric vehicle charging network.

The intentional hands-off approach, according to a final rule to be published by the Federal Highway Administration on Tuesday, is meant to avoid getting in the way of evolving technology for powering medium- and heavy-duty (MD/HD) electric trucks.

“The FHWA … cannot regulate minimum standards that have not yet been identified or innovated in the industry,” the agency stated. “FHWA understands that the MD/HD charging industry is very nascent and rapidly evolving. As such, FHWA has not modified the language in this final rule to specifically accommodate MD/HD needs so as not to preempt the pace of technological innovation.”