California regulators have drawn a hard line on portable power. The California Air Resources Board has finalized rules that will bar the certification and sale of new gasoline or propane generators used in recreational vehicles beginning with 2028-model units, forcing manufacturers, suppliers and campground operators to pivot to zero-emission alternatives in the nation’s largest RV market, according to an industry briefing.
The mandate lands as small off-road engines, which include RV gensets, already out-pollute passenger cars in California. Campground owners that rely on guests’ onboard generators for overflow power could soon find those engines gone—and demand for shore power rising—just as RV builders scramble to redesign rigs around batteries and inverters.
The regulation targets spark-ignition engines rated at 19 kilowatts or less, a category that captures virtually every gasoline or liquefied-propane RV generator on the market while exempting diesel models. Tighter interim limits arrive with 2024 model years, but by 2028 every new generator must be zero emission. The same set of rules cites small off-road engines as a source of 72 daily tons of smog-forming pollution and outlines a $30 million voucher program to spur zero-emission equipment purchases, details contained in recent CARB filings.
Industry witnesses pressed the board for more time. “We are appreciative to the many representatives of the RV industry, including manufacturers and suppliers, the RV Industry Association, the RV Dealers Association, and the California RVDA, who testified during the hearing on the proposed amendments and the need for different treatment for the fixed-mount generators in RV,” said Michael Ochs, director of state government affairs for the RV Industry Association.
Ochs added that outreach ahead of the vote resonated with regulators: “The education that we did with Board members and staff prior to the hearing did result in several Board members expressing their worries about the challenges that lie ahead for the RV industry in complying with the ban.”
CARB nodded to those worries by creating a credit bank. Manufacturers that bring zero-emission equipment to market between 2022 and 2027 can stockpile credits and, in turn, delay full compliance as far out as 2032. The board also ordered annual progress reports and a formal technology-readiness review in 2025-26 that could shift final deadlines if battery or fuel-cell solutions remain elusive.
Campground and RV park operators do not have the luxury of waiting. A practical first step is an electrical audit to verify spare capacity at each pedestal and the main service panel, then future-proofing sites with 50-amp service and oversize conduit so heavier cable can be pulled later without retrenching. Operators are also advised to add Level-2 EV chargers for roughly one in every 10 to 15 sites, pair solar carports with onsite battery storage to shave peak demand charges, and install energy-management software that can shed noncritical loads during spikes. Early conversations with local utilities about transformer upgrades and demand-response incentives can cut long-term costs.
The rule change also opens fresh revenue streams. Parks can rent portable lithium power stations much like kayak rentals, recharge them at a central solar-plus-storage hub, and upsell guests to premium “solar sites” outfitted with shaded panels. Adopting kilowatt-hour billing ensures heavy users shoulder the true cost of electricity, while quieter nights and cleaner air become marketable perks. Joint demo weekends with local dealers showing new zero-emission rigs can fill shoulder-season calendars, and front-line staff trained on solar-battery troubleshooting can resolve most guest issues on the spot.
Existing owners are not left in the dark. The regulation does not restrict the use, resale or repair of current gasoline generators, and diesel models remain legal. Still, as supplies of new gas units dry up, owners may gravitate toward roof-mounted solar arrays, lithium battery packs or upgraded diesel gensets, according to owner guidance.
For now, the next checkpoints come quickly: stricter emissions limits in the 2024 model year, annual CARB status reports thereafter, and the pivotal technology-readiness assessment in 2025-26. Whether the industry can scale battery density, fuel cells or hybrid power systems in time will determine if the 2028 deadline holds—or if campgrounds and manufacturers get a reprieve.
Either way, the countdown has started. Meeting the state’s air-quality goal will require rapid innovation upstream and meticulous infrastructure upgrades downstream, reshaping how the outdoor-hospitality ecosystem powers the RV experience.