Common sense would tell you that motorhomes don’t get driven that much, so they don’t need to have the most stringent fuel efficiency and emissions standards. This will drive these states to sell more trailers, which will wear out these terrible truck designs to meet CARB regulations, e.g. smaller turbo charged engines that won’t last verses a larger V-6 or V-8 that is naturally aspirated. But this fits their goals, as they don’t want you having vehicles with combustion engines for too much longer.
https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-industry-responds-6-state-motorhome-ban-controversy/
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
On Monday we broke the news about what boils down to a ban of motorhome sales in California and five other states. At the time, our understanding was the clamp-down would affect only diesel motorhomes. It does not, as many gas motorhomes will likewise be affected. And, hold on. While sales of affected motorhomes in those states will cease in 2025—several other states will follow suit thereafter. The RVIA has rung in with more information, which we’ll cover here.
This morning, the RV Industry Association (RVIA) released a fact sheet on the motorhome near-total “ban” situation. You can read the entire fact-sheet here, but we’ll boil the matter down in this story.
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Motorhome ban controversy—its genesis
What created the situation? This year, California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation, which aims to promote zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), will effectively create a near-total “ban” on motorhome sales in the state. Other states that follow California’s ACT regulation will see a similar shutdown. The regulation doesn’t directly spell out a ban on motorhomes. But it does force medium- and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers to increase the percentage of ZEVs they sell each year. Result? These manufacturers simple turned off the supply of old-fashioned internal combustion engine chassis. They’ve done this simply because they don’t have a supply of chassis fit for motorhome use.
The RV industry saw it coming. Since 2020 it’s been working with CARB (the California Air Resources Board—creator of ACT) on how these regulations would affect the industry and RVers. Industry had hoped CARB would work in an exemption for recreational vehicles. That didn’t happen. The situation is further complicated by more than just the ACT regulation. It also involves a trio of regulations passed in the last two to three years: the ACT, the Omnibus Low NOx rule, and the Advanced Clean Fleets rule. Together, these regulations are designed to transition medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2036.
“If nothing changes, motorhomes will not be able to be sold”
So, here’s the nut of the matter, and we quote the RVIA fact sheet directly: “The RV Industry Association continues to work with CARB staff on the ACT with their staff looking to hear more from our members and understand why chassis manufacturers will not be able to deliver products. While we are continuing to work with manufacturers, dealers, and CARB to find a solution, if nothing changes, motorhomes will not be able to be sold and registered in California beginning in 2025. The exact date is still to be determined.”
“If nothing changes.” If the RV industry and CARB can’t come to a meeting of the minds—and at this point it looks like a deadlock—many motorhomes simply won’t be sold or registered in California as of sometime in 2025. When we say “many” motorhomes, just what are the brass tacks?
Motorhome ban—Just what won’t be able to be sold?
Here’s the answer, according to the RVIA fact sheet. “While the majority of the attention thus far has focused on Class A and Class C diesel motorhomes, the regulation, with a few exceptions, applies to all medium-duty or heavy-duty vehicles with combustion engines. Any non-exempted on-road vehicle over 8,500 GVWR is included [and] is covered by the regulation, including Class B motorhomes most of which have a GVWR over that amount.”
As we mentioned in our previous article, Ford indicates that it has enough ZEV credits to still sell some motorhome-useable chassis. In a letter from motorhome manufacturer Newmar to its dealers, the company wrote, “Ford has implied confirmation that the F53 chassis will be available for California and the other listed states as they have access to credits from their EV production.”
Some other industries are working to keep in the game by purchasing so-called “clean air credits.” This would allow them to continue to exceed air pollution limits. The RVIA is convinced that won’t work for the motorhome industry. The fact sheet says this: “CARB insists that this regulation gives flexibility to chassis manufacturers in being able to buy and sell ZEV credits to allow them to build combustion engine chassis. The amendments approved last month will also permit secondary vehicle manufacturers to buy and sell these credits.
“However, neither of these provisions will guarantee that chassis manufacturers will utilize these credits, which are likely to be expensive on the open market and would add another layer of cost to producing a motorhome with a combustion engine chassis. Thus, the RV Industry Association does not believe that a solution that offers only one path for compliance (purchasing expensive ACT credits) is actually a solution at all.”
What about pre-owned motorhomes?
CARB has made it clear that these regulations apply to new motorhomes. Pre-owned motorhomes are exempt, even if built after the ACT regulation went into effect. So just what constitutes “pre-owned” or used vehicle?
That was a question that RVIA for the board. According to the fact-sheet, “CARB said that a used vehicle, defined as one with more than 7,500 miles on the odometer, could be brought in and registered. Any motorhome with less than 7,500 miles would be considered a new vehicle and would have to be compliant in order to be registered.”
Six states next year—more will follow
In RVIA’s view, next year California and these other states will essentially see a shutdown of sales of most motorhomes, diesel or gas. The other states are: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. However, four more states also observe the ACT regulation. The RVIA predicts Vermont will see a similar shutdown in 2026. And come 2027, the same situation will affect Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, and Rhode Island.
Of specific interest to California residents is this. What if you buy a motorhome in a state that doesn’t comply with ACT and try to register that rig in California? It won’t happen. The RVIA says, “In response to a question at the hearing about non-compliant vehicles coming in from out of state, CARB said that a used vehicle, defined as one with more than 7,500 miles on the odometer, could be brought in and registered. Any motorhome with less than 7,500 miles would be considered a new vehicle and would have to be compliant in order to be registered.” (Italics ours.)
But what if you live in a state that doesn’t observe ACT? Could you buy a “non-compliant” motorhome from a California dealer, with the understanding you’ll register it in your home state? Nope. The prohibition prevents California dealers from selling non-compliant vehicles to anyone, including residents of states not subscribing to ACT.
These new regulations will hit the RV industry in several states hard. And as many readers have pointed out in the past, “Where California goes, there goes the country.” It’s six states in 2025, and up to 10 by 2027. Who knows what the future will hold for the rest of the U.S. Motorhoming, as we know it, could become a thing of the past.
Revised, 11/8/2024 at 10:02, adding the section on pre-owned vehicles and CARB’s view.