The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is proposing to ban generators installed on motorhomes and towable RVs as part of an amendment to small off-road engine regulations.
At a virtual hearing Dec. 9, CARB will vote to adopt the proposed ban. Absent significant pushback from the RV industry at the hearing, RVIA stated, the proposal will be adopted.
CARB is the state regulator responsible for controlling emissions from small off-road engines. The proposed amendment would ban spark ignition engines with less than 25 horsepower to address climate change. CARB believes that a ban will drive companies to develop zero emission solutions, such as batteries or fuel cells. The ban would take effect in the 2028 model year.
“Anyone and everyone concerned about the implications of the ban taking effect needs to participate in the hearing and tell the board what they think about the proposed ban,” RVIA stated. “When gas and propane-powered engines are banned in 2028, traditional gas/propane RV generators will no longer be available for purchase in California. Customers would need to go outside the state to buy an RV equipped with a generator. This will result in a large loss of RV sales in California. Zero emission solutions are deemed at this time to be neither technologically feasible nor cost-effective.”
Following Indiana ($3.43 billion) and Texas ($1.72 billion), RVing in California was reported by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis as having the third-largest state economic impact in 2020 at $1.59 billion.
RVIA requested RV industry members participate in the hearing, set to start at 9 a.m. PST or noon EST. The agenda for the board hearing is posted here. Pre-registration to testify at the hearing is available with the agenda.
Testimony will be limited to two to three minutes per person. The greater the number of people speaking out against the ban, RVIA stated, the greater are the odds that the board will direct CARB staff to modify the proposed rule.
RVIA and RVDA drafted talking points for the hearing, available here.
“If your company is concerned about the ban, please plan to testify,” RVIA stated.
For questions or additional resources, contact RVIA Director of State Government Affairs Mike Ochs at [email protected].
