Texas releases heavy-duty charging taskforce report

By Phillip Martin

This week the Texas Department of Transportation released the final report from a statewide interagency taskforce focused on how to support charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The 51-page report provides an overview of federal and state policies, while making state-specific recommendations for how Texas legislators can utilize some of the state’s competitive advantages to best support growth in that market — including cheaper electricity, a light regulatory climate and a competitive state grant program.

The TxDOT taskforce brought together the state’s Public Utility Commission, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, leading utilities including CenterPoint and Oncor and key nonprofits including Environmental Defense Fund and the Electric Power Research Institute to discuss the federal and state policy landscape. Chief among the taskforce’s recommendations include:

1. The creation of a statewide plan for MHDV infrastructure that includes clear goals, timelines and metrics for success.
2. Developing and expanding public-private partnerships that can build private and public charging infrastructure throughout Texas.
3. Establishing an electric truck advisory committee to provide regular oversight and recommendations on MHDV policies.
4. Adopting uniform statewide standards for MHDV charging infrastructure, especially for permitting reform for building infrastructure.
5. Enhancing funding and incentives for MHDV infrastructure development and vehicle deployment.
6. Dedicating resources, including the hiring of state agency personnel, that can develop and manage programs that support MHDV infrastructure development, with a key focus on creating modeling that ensures proper buildout and planning for Texas’ grid.

Rep. Armando Walle, who carried the budget rider that created the statewide taskforce, praised the report’s findings in a press release on Monday:

Texas releases heavy-duty charging taskforce report
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“It is critical Texas remains a driver for innovation and opportunity, and our state must keep pace with the expansion of zero emission vehicles across all industries. I am proud to have worked with agencies, companies and experts on this report to send a strong signal that Texas is prepared to be an economic leader on this front and foster an environment that will support business development, create jobs and reduce emission for generations to come.”

The report’s release comes a few months before the start of Texas’ 2025 legislative session, where a number of the recommendations are expected to be pursued through legislation and regulatory discussions. It will compliment recommendations EDF has already raised to improve the state’s zero-emission truck incentive programs, providing a one-two effort to pursue deployment and charging strategies.

EDF will follow-through on the taskforce recommendations and work with stakeholders and elected officials to craft and support legislation that further accelerate Texas’ zero-emission transportation transition.

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