SACRAMENTO, California — As some California's vehicles go all electric, a group of lawmakers are now calling on the governor to delay the state's Advanced Clean Fleets mandate. They are using a recent Tesla semi-truck fire on I-80 as an example.
"I think we ought to be getting the reaction of California motorists around the state and ask them how they feel about being stuck in their car for a day or two days while these truck fires are burning themselves out," said Senator Brian Jones (R-San Diego).
On Monday, firefighters fought the fire from the ground and air to keep it from spreading. While the cause of the crash is still unknown, Sacramento Fire Capt. Justin Sylvia said electric car fires require a lot more resources.
"It's at least double. Typically, it's 3,000 to 10,000 gallons of water that's needed to get in there and actually cool that battery pack system in there," Capt. Sylvia said.
To compare, Sylvia said a gas vehicle fire takes about 500 gallons of water. However, crews also have to be extra careful around the power lines of electric vehicles.
"There is no shut off essentially on these vehicles, so if you cut that wrong high voltage line, then you're gonna get shocked from it," Sylvia said.
Because of the extra resources required, Sen. Jones and a group of other Republican lawmakers have sent Governor Gavin Newsom a letter, asking him to delay the mandate for zero-emission medium-and-heavy vehicle fleets on the roadways by 2045. The mandate would go into effect in 2035 for drayage trucks.
"If there's a plan in place and there's a plan to react to these emergencies, then great, let's move ahead. But until we have that plan in place, we need to put a halt on any more expansion of this technology," Sen. Jones said.
A spokesperson with the governor's office provided the following statement to ABC10:
"Our office continues to collaborate with relevant agencies and departments to ensure the state remains at the forefront of this rapidly evolving and innovative technology while prioritizing the safety of all Californians."
The California Air Resources Board cited a 2024 study by the ZEV Alliance saying electric vehicles are less common than fires in gas vehicles between the years 2018-2021. The same study also noted that EV fires may become more frequent with more of them on the road.
Caltrans provided the following statement to ABC10.
Safety is Caltrans’ top priority, and the department is responsible for protecting and maintaining the state highway system. While Cal Fire or the local fire department take the lead role on any electrical vehicle fire, Caltrans maintenance crews are always at the ready whenever emergency situations occur on the state highways. Whether it be a natural disaster, flooding, heavy snow, or fires, Caltrans has the crews and equipment to quickly tend to all highways and interstate repairs. These resources are available throughout the state usually within only a few miles of any incident, including the use of contractors when emergency repairs cannot be addressed by maintenance crews.
The full letter from lawmakers can be found below.
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