What is causing all this is the recent CARB (California Air Resources Bureau) ruling, which came 3 days after the election. The regulation is called "Current Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulation", which states that starting January 1, 2025, all 2026 model year vehicles must achieve sales of at least 35% of ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicles). And that's the catch.
The recent Nov 7 decision refused to allow any exceptions by manufacturer, causing real problems for both manufacturers of Spartan and Freightliner diesel chassis - because neither has ANY zero emission alternative. Therefore they cannot meet this goal so will be forced to not sell their vehicles in both California and the 5 other states which follow all CARB regulations.
So how can this be "worked around"? Some thoughts -
(1) Continue to pump out a lot of 2025 MY vehicles instead. From my experience most auto manufacturers like to get a jump on the next Model Year in order to encourage Retail sales. But keep in mind - and this confuses things greatly - we are referring to the drive train only - not the RV manufacturer. So theoretically Spartan and Freight Liner could continue to build 25MY chassis all through 2025. But then the RV manufacturers would have to follow suite, building ONLY 2025 MY vehicles. (for a while).
(2) Customers of these states could still buy 2026 MY diesel RVs in another state. But the problem is that they would very likely not be allowed to register it in their home state. I know this will occur for CA residents.
(3) Customers could still buy a 2026 MY diesel RV in another state, but then register it to an out of state address. Such as a 2nd home, or a friend's or relative's home. But then do not get caught driving it back to your home state where these vehicles are illegal. I know this is VERY true in CA, where a few years back a number of people created a Montana LLC and registered their RV to that Montana address. But some of them then brought that vehicle back to CA - with Montana plates - sending out a big red flag for them to be stopped by CA police to check where the owner of the RV actually lived. If they found a CA resident doing this they faced huge fines and legal action for deliberately trying to evade CA use taxes (Sales tax) and registration fees.
But back to the point - people can still but a 2026MY diesel RV out of state - as long as they never try to bring it back into CA.
So what about Class A gas RVs? Well - since Ford is the only chassis builder of these right now they simply follow Ford sales. So as long as at least 35% of ALL Ford vehicle sales are ZEV then those 2026 MY RVs would be OK.
Others also ask - what about out of state diesel RVs traveling and camping in California of any Model Year? Will they be allowed in? They answer so far is yes - -- BUT - - CARB has already gone after diesel trucks, so it only seems a matter of time - and all indications point this way - that they will eventually ban all non-ZEV out-of-state diesel vehicles from driving in CA. Eventually.
There are many other issues with the CARB ZEV sales regulations, which ramp up to 100% by 2035.
(1) Tracking and enforcement of a sales mandate. The regulations target manufacturer "deliveries" (Retail sales), but Manufacturers do not Retail cars - only their franchised dealers do. So the Manufacturer has very little control over the ZEV sales percentage.
(2) These regulations fall hardest on dealers. Both because of the potential to totally eliminate sales of all diesel RVs, but also in that it falls to dealers to try and achieve a certain sales %. What are they to do if the customer demand is insufficient?
I could go on and on, but it is obvious that the ZEV sales mandates have already created a lot of confusion. And as they currently stand, no 2026 Diesel RVs will be allowed to be sold in both California and the 5 other states which follow those CARB regulations.
For more information you can go to the source -
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/search/site?...esources Board's new ACT regulation&gsc.sort=
