Truckers are protesting the Biden administration's new Environmental Protection Agency regulations, arguing that they would hurt their business.

The EPA instituted new emissions standards early this year, which went into effect on March 27 but will be implemented for new trucks sold after 2027. The new standards "are significantly more stringent and ... cover a wider range of heavy-duty engine operating conditions compared to today's standards." Truckers are complaining that the new standards will hamstring their businesses and that new trucks compliant with the regulations are prohibitively expensive.

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"A new clean diesel long haul tractor typically costs in the range of $180,000 to $200,000," JKC Trucking Vice President Mike Kucharski told Fox News. "A comparable battery electric tractor costs upwards of $480,000, that's about a $300,000 upcharge, [which] is cost prohibitive for the overwhelming majority of motor carriers."

"This mandate is based on brand-new technology, No. 1, and they're supporting green energy" above the economy, he continued. "I support green energy, but it's extremely frustrating because it's this new mandate that they are forcing ... truckers are nonstop overregulated."

The new compliant vehicles will be particularly hard on the industry because 95% of trucking companies are small businesses, which only operate up to 10 trucks. Many of the smaller companies may not be able to handle the heavy upcharge.

Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, agreed with Kucharski, telling Fox News that the new standards are part of a "regulatory blitz on small-business truckers."

"This newest announcement is a blatant attempt to force consumers into purchasing electric vehicles while a national charging infrastructure network remains absent for heavy-duty commercial trucks," he said. "Professional drivers are skeptical of electric vehicle costs, mileage range, battery weight and safety, charging time and availability."

"It’s baffling that the EPA is pushing forward with more impractical emissions timelines without first addressing these overwhelming concerns with electric commercial motor vehicles," Spencer continued. "The pursuit of this radical environmental agenda in conjunction with an anticipated speed limiter mandate will regulate the safest and most experienced truckers off the road."

Kucharski argued that the technology for electric trucks is simply not practical at the moment, with reality not quite catching up to the ambitions of the technology.

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"These regulations are not practical," he said. "No. 1, costs, two, infrastructure — we're not ready for the infrastructure. Three, the testing and data — they're just doing the testing on these trucks right now. I really haven't even driven an electric truck or seen one in person."

The fragile nature of the technology led Kucharski to claim that a failure of the new technology would effectively "decapitate" the United States's supply chain.