Canada and California sign MOU to jointly promote cleaner vehicles

On June 27, Canada and California signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly promote cleaner vehicles. The alliance is primarily a reaction to the Trump administration’s plan to weaken vehicle emissions standards. Trump also threatened to deny California the right to issue its own emissions regulations for vehicles and to force the purchase of zero-emission vehicles.

In response, the most populous and wealthy U.S. state and Canada now want to work together to “accelerate the introduction of zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars.” In addition, they will share technical information and testing procedures that California already uses with the low-carbon fuel standard.

Canada is in the process of revising its own vehicle emissions standards. By 2040, all light commercial vehicles sold are expected to be emission-free, including, for example, pickups that are popular in North America. Companies that are busy converting their fleets are already eligible for subsidies and tax incentives.