What you need to know:
- Zero-emission truck deployments topped 4% of new U.S. truck deployments in the second half of 2025, up from 1.32% in the first half, according to Calstart
- The electric truck market reached 72,309 cumulative deployments nationwide by the end of 2025
- Commercial vehicle electrification expanded across the U.S., with New York and Pennsylvania emerging as adoption leaders
- Electric cargo vans drove growth, while continued investment in charging infrastructure and state incentives remains critical to adoption
Zero-emission trucks (ZETs) accounted for more than 4% of new truck deployments in the United States during the second half of 2025, marking a significant increase from the first half of the year, according to a newly released market report from Calstart.
The organization's June 2026 edition of its "Zeroing in on ZETs" report found that ZETs represented 4.14% of truck deployments between July and December 2025, up from 1.32% during the first six months of the year.
[Related: Zero-emission truck deployment behind targets, Calstart finds]
Nationwide, cumulative ZET deployments reached 72,309 vehicles by the end of 2025. Breaking it down, the market added 12,996 deployments during the second half of the year, bringing total annual additions to 19,522 vehicles. That compares with 52,787 cumulative deployments at the end of 2024.
Calstart reported that second-half deployments nearly doubled first-half totals and were 31% higher than the same period in 2024.
While California, as expected, continued to lead the nation in total deployments with 12,874 vehicles, Florida and Texas followed with 6,179 and 5,953 deployments, respectively. However, when adjusted for factors such as truck population, California, New York and Pennsylvania ranked highest in Calstart's normalized adoption score.
The report highlighted New York and Pennsylvania as emerging leaders in zero-emission truck adoption, citing state incentive programs, workforce development efforts and infrastructure planning. Both states rank among the nation's largest trucking markets and have implemented policies aimed at accelerating commercial vehicle electrification.
Adoption also continues to broaden geographically. Twenty-two states now report more than 1,000 cumulative ZET deployments, up from 18 states in the previous market update. Colorado, Indiana, Oregon and Tennessee each surpassed the 1,000-deployment mark, while Illinois, Michigan and Washington exceeded 2,000 deployments.
[Related: Zero-emission truck adoption is growing, but slowing against a tough regulatory environment]
Not surprisingly, cargo vans remained the dominant segment of the market, accounting for 12,158 new deployments during the second half of 2025, compared with 5,374 in the first half. Calstart further noted that growth in the cargo van category helped offset broader declines in truck sales.
Outside the cargo van segment, medium- and heavy-duty vehicle categories collectively added 838 new deployments during the six-month period.
Among vehicle segments, yard tractors recorded the highest penetration rate, with zero-emission models representing 3.21% of vehicles in operation. The report cited operational performance, return on investment and relatively manageable charging infrastructure requirements as factors supporting continued adoption in the segment.
Despite continued market growth, Calstart reported that state policies, infrastructure investments and financial incentives remain important factors influencing adoption. The organization noted that future deployment rates will depend in part on efforts to reduce vehicle and charging infrastructure costs and expand public and private charging networks.
"The market, even absent tax credits, has shown positive growth. The data points to a strong zero-emission future as operational cost advantages continue to accelerate over fossil fuels, capital costs continue declining, and operator acceptance trends in a positive direction. This report continues to play a vital role in mapping the trajectory and consequences of ZET adoption across the country," said Jared Schnader, executive vice president of initiatives in Calstart's Florida Regional Office.
The report provides a snapshot of the U.S. medium- and heavy-duty truck market through December 2025 and covers vehicles ranging from Class 2b through Class 8 across six segments, including cargo vans, step vans, medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, refuse trucks and yard tractors.
