Drive to Zero Newsletter – March 2021

Dear Drive to Zero Pledge Partners and Allies:

This past month the Traton Group, one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers including MAN, Scania and in the process of acquiring Navistar in North America, announced a clear focus on electric drive technologies and equivalent disinvestment in internal combustion engines. By 2030, 50% of vehicles sold by Scania, at least 60% of MAN’s delivery trucks and 40% of its long-haul trucks will be zero-emissions. This is consistent with Drive to Zero’s vision that zero-emission technologies dominate new vehicle sales by 2040. It is critical that countries implement ambitious zero-emission vehicle regulations to give the market certainty, together with incentives to accelerate cost parity, and infrastructure investments to enable reliable charging and fueling.

– Cristiano Façanha, Global Director, CALSTART/Drive to Zero


Drive to Zero Program Progress and Updates

The Drive Electric Campaign Targets 100 Percent Global Vehicle Electrification by 2050

CALSTART and Drive to Zero are implementing partners of the ClimateWorks Drive Electric Campaign that aims to address and overcome barriers to scaling zero-emission road transportation globally, including commercial vehicle adoption. The campaign supports smart government policies, engages with private companies to electrify, and works with organizations and coalitions representing diverse business and community interests. (LINK)

Coalition Helping America Rebuild and Go Electric – CHARGE

This member coalition – including CALSTART and Drive to Zero – consists of transportation, industry, environmental, labor, health, equity, and civic organizations that support smart policy to electrify America’s transportation system. The CHARGE Coalition supports the holistic and equitable transition to 100 percent zero-emission mobility and features policy recommendations for U.S. charging infrastructure and the electrification of public transit and heavy-duty vehicles. (LINK)

California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) Prepared to Relaunch

HVIP is anticipated to open to new voucher requests in late spring 2021 with more than $100 million available in new and recycled funding. In preparation, HVIP has launched a revamped website with an updated vehicle catalog, resources for purchasers and sellers, and more. The FY20-21 Implementation Manual and dealer training will be provided before HVIP re-opens. (LINK)

Clean Commercial Transportation Update

Tune into CALSTART’s news webinar series, CCTU, for a live 30-minute update on the latest in clean transportation news. Hosted by CALSTART’s Bill Van Amburg, Executive Vice President, and Alycia Gilde, Senior Director, we bring you the innovation leaders who are changing transportation for good. This link provides access to recorded broadcasts and registration for the next live show, scheduled for April 16 at 11:00 PDT. (LINK


News Updates

The prospects for zero-emission truck electrification continue to improve. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently published a report indicating that the total cost of ownership for long-haul electric trucks are currently lower than diesel-powered equivalents, with per-mile costs at half of diesel-powered trucks projected by 2030. The shift toward zero-emissions fleet adoption is already visible within EV100’s ranks – the clean fleet organization’s membership doubled from 2019 to 2020. A notable recent addition to large-scale electrification was announced this week when global logistics leader FedEx announced its commitment to carbon-neutral operations by 2040, including large-scale investments in vehicle electrification. Truck manufacturers such as the Traton Group, one of the largest truck manufacturers globally, are supporting fleet zero-emission ambitions by developing new models and setting sales targets for its brands. Electric vehicles will represent around 10% of Scania’s European sales and half of MAN’s new bus sales by 2025. By 2030, 50% of vehicles sold by Scania, at least 60% of MAN’s delivery trucks and 40% of its long-haul trucks will be zero-emission.

Clean transit bus adoption is also being advanced through national incentive support. The U.K. government recently announced a £3 billion strategic bus investment that will fund up to 4,000 zero-emission transit buses. Similarly, the Canadian government will invest CA$2.5 billion over the next five years that will support the purchase of 5,000 zero-emission transit buses and associated infrastructure. In the United States, the Federal Transit Administration announced the availability of up to $180 million in grant funding through the “Low or No Emission” program that supports clean transit vehicle purchases or leases.

City governments and agencies are also supporting efforts to adopt zero-emission commercial vehicles:

Reach out to us to share new information, potential partners, and innovative practices to achieve our Drive to Zero goals at info@globaldrivetozero.org, and please feel free to share this newsletter with others. The updates described above and additional news stories are linked below.

Dan Welch, Senior Project Manager, CALSTART


News Links

Events / Reports

  • Battery capacity needed to power electric vehicles in India from 2020 to 2035 (LINK)
  • EV Funding and Financing Guide: How to Amp Up Transportation Transformation: A Guidebook for Funding and Financing Electrification (LINK)
  • EVgo Publishes New Fleet Electrification Guide (LINK)
  • EV100 report: Corporate fleets doubled in 2020 (LINK)
  • Commercial Truck Electrification is Within Reach (LINK)
  • Electric Vehicle Batteries: Addressing Questions about Critical Materials and Recycling (LINK)

 Market

  • The top three reasons fleets are electrifying (LINK)
  • As EV economics improve, medium- and heavy-duty trucking may be ‘next big frontier’ for clean transportation (LINK)

 Fleet Deployments

  • Volvo and DHL Freight team up to test electric trucks in Sweden (LINK)
  • Largest Electric School Bus Order In US History — Montgomery County Orders 326 Buses (LINK)
  • FedEx Commits to Carbon-Neutral Operations by 2040 (LINK)
  • 400 Electric-Powered Blue Bird School Buses Roll into North America (LINK)
  • House bill gives USPS $6B to invest heavily in next-generation electric vehicles (LINK)
  • Frito-Lay Replaces All Diesel Vehicles at Facility with Cleaner Tech (LINK)

Manufacturers and Models: Trucks and Buses

  • Traton to Focus on Electric Trucks (LINK)
  • Lion Electric Secures its Largest Truck Order to Date with 100 Zero-Emission Trucks from Pride Group Enterprises (LINK)
  • DHL Express deploys nearly 100 new Lightning Electric delivery vans in US (LINK)
  • BYD Presents the First Pure Electric Articulated Bus Made in Brazil (LINK)
  • J&M Sanitation Deploys BYD Electric Refuse Trucks (LINK)

Manufacturers and Models: Port Equipment and Off-Road

  • ABB drives zero-emission ferries in South Korea (LINK)
  • Futuricum delivers 3 concrete mixer e-trucks to Holcim, Switzerland (LINK)

Financial Incentives

  • FTA Announces $180M for Low-No Emission Grant Program (LINK)
  • UK gov’ pledges £3Bn in full bus market “shake-up” (LINK)
  • Government of Canada investing to electrify transit systems across the country (LINK)

Government Policies

  • Why the US must support the electric vehicle supply chain [OPINION] (LINK)
  • USA’s 1st Zero-Emissions Delivery Zone Is In Santa Monica, California (LINK)
  • Delhi Aims To Become India’s “EV Capital” As Key Reforms Gain Momentum (LINK)
  • City of Seattle Releases Transportation Electrification Blueprint (LINK)
  • Zero emission buses in Bogotá from 2022 – Political leadership to accelerate the transition (LINK)
  • California Community Colleges works to prepare a highly skilled, clean energy workforce (LINK)

Utility Policies

  • Duke, other utilities see dollar signs in becoming EV experts (LINK)

Fuels & Infrastructure

  • New York City Opens 58 Fast Chargers for Municipal Fleet Operations (LINK)
  • Austrian Post AG opts for load management by TMH (LINK)

 Batteries & Technology

  • Swappable Battery Towers in China Show How Standards Can Advance EVs (LINK)
  • Used Electric Car Batteries Are Heading to Factories and Farms (LINK)