Janus Electric Holdings Ltd (ASX:JNS) has received formal approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for its JCM 540 Battery-Electric Conversion System to be eligible under the Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).
Under the HVIP listing, qualifying California fleet and freight operators can apply for government-backed vouchers of up to US$90,000 per converted Class-8 truck, reducing the upfront cost of converting existing diesel prime movers to battery-electric operation using Janus’ swappable battery system.
The company also confirmed its first set of conversion kits has been exported to the United States. Janus expects truck trials of the system to begin by June 30, 2026.
The CARB milestone as supportive of Janus’s broader push into the US market, with California viewed as a key entry point given the state’s regulatory settings and scale of heavy freight activity.
“This approval marks a pivotal milestone for Janus in the United States. CARB’s HVIP eligibility for the JCM 540 unlocks direct access to California’s incentive market, allowing freight operators to economically convert existing diesel trucks into full battery-electric vehicles using our swappable battery platform,” Lex Forsyth, founder & COO of Janus Electric, said.
“This significantly accelerates commercial deployment, strengthens our US export strategy, and positions Janus as a scalable solution for zero-emission heavy freight.”
Unlocking zero-emission truck conversions at scale
With CARB approval now in place, Janus’s JCM 540 conversion system has been formally listed as an HVIP-eligible zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) conversion kit. The listing allows fleet operators to convert eligible diesel Class-8 trucks to full battery-electric operation while accessing government incentive support.
The conversion package combines:
- the JCM 540 electric drivetrain conversion module
- Janus’ swappable battery architecture, designed to enable rapid battery exchange rather than extended charging downtime
- a heavy-freight, zero-emission platform aimed at port, regional and interstate haulage tasks
Under the HVIP settings, vouchers for conversion kits are issued at 75% of the base ZEV incentive, lowering fleet capex requirements while delivering immediate emissions reductions.
The JCM 540 conversion kit has been approved for Class-8 heavy freight trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 33,000 lb (GVWR).
Key points
- CARB approval received for HVIP eligibility of the JCM 540 battery-electric conversion system
- HVIP vouchers of up to US$90,000 per truck available to eligible fleet customers
- Approved for Class-8 heavy freight trucks >33,000 lb GVWR
- Targets conversion of existing diesel prime movers to zero-emission electric operation
- Initial conversion kits exported to the US, with trials expected to start by June 30, 2026
Strategic importance for Janus’s US expansion
Janus is targeting California as a core market, with the company pointing to CARB-led mandates across ports, drayage and regional freight operations. With HVIP eligibility, Janus is now positioned within the state’s incentive framework, supporting an accelerated commercial pathway across key freight hubs including:
- the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
- the Inland Empire logistics corridors
- broader statewide drayage and linehaul freight markets
The approval strengthens its US export strategy by enabling incentive-supported fleet deployments and helping accelerate customer adoption.