Global innovators step up to back transformative freight effort
Fourteen new global innovators from Belgium, Brazil, Germany, India, the UK, the US and more are joining hundreds of companies and subnational governments as well as 40 national governments in backing the Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Global MOU). The effort calls for 100% new zero-emission truck sales by 2040 and at least 30% new zero-emission truck and bus sales by 2030. Global MOU endorsers represent more than $1.3 trillion in annual revenues.
This announcement about the growing MOU community is being made publicly at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16/MI-10) August 25, 2025 at the Accelerating Decarbonization: Transforming Energy and Transport Systems Globally event. The session will focus on how the transport and energy sectors can work together to scale up implementation of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (ZE-MHDVs).
Windrose, a global EV-only OEM with headquarters in Belgium and roots in China, is among the new endorsers of the Global MOU.
“We are fully supportive of this initiative, because we have demonstrated that electric trucks can finally offer the range, payload, and total cost of ownership that our customers want. Further, we have deployed our global truck platform on five continents including Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Oceania, and demonstrated charging interoperability with 300+ public and private chargers,” said Wen Han, founder and CEO of Windrose Technology.
Launched at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, the Global MOU is co-led by CALSTART’s Drive to Zero and the Government of Colombia.
“Zero-emission trucks, buses, and infrastructure are critical to ensuring economic and energy security, supporting industry competitiveness, growing well-paying jobs, and achieving global climate and clean air goals,” Stephanie Kodish, Senior Global Director of CALSTART’s Drive to Zero. “Our innovative new endorsers champion the value of zero-emission freight because they build, use, and manage these vehicles everyday. They are changing transportation for good.”
Windrose recently made international headlines when it launched the first-ever all-electric long-haul sleeper truck in the United States. This zero-emission EV truck has a 420-mile range and will be commercially deployed in the United States. During the April 2025 announcement, Wen Han, founder, chairman, and CEO of Windrose was publicly quoted as noting:
“This isn’t just a prototype or promise—this is a fully operational, long-range electric truck that’s ready to haul freight today. We’ve validated our technology globally and are proud to bring it to the U.S.—one of the most important logistics markets in the world.”
The Korea Electric Vehicle Association is also being welcomed as a new endorser at CEM.
“KEVA is the first organization in the Republic of Korea to endorse the Global MOU. We thank KEVA for its leadership and its commitment to working with the public and private sector innovators that are collaboratively accelerating the shift to sustainable freight,” said Kodish.
“South Korea has committed to convert 100 percent of public transit buses to zero-emission by 2030. The government is investing heavily in hydrogen and electric charging infrastructure, with national roadmaps targeting more than 500 hydrogen refueling stations and tens of thousands of EV chargers by the end of the decade. We look forward to learning from and collaborating with our new partners at KEVA and hope to gain new partners in Korea.”
Drive to Zero is announcing more than a dozen new endorsers to the Global MOU community at CEM (the full list of 250+ endorsers are on the Drive to Zero website):
- Arrow Mobility
- Astranova Mobility Private Limited
- Eco Route Advisory
- Electrolink Chargers Colombia S.A.S E.S.P
- EOX Tractors
- Greenlane Infrastructure
- Horizon Motor, Inc.
- KEVA
- Schotpoort Transport Groep
- Sennder
- Sycada
- Turquoise International Limited
- U Power
- Windrose
Upon endorsing the Global MOU, Marceline Overduin, Founder of Eco Route Advisory noted, “An emission free supply chain is as essential to the planet as the goods they transport are to our way of life. Drive to Zero is delivering the mechanism needed to accelerate this vital transition by coupling deliberate innovation with actionable policies. Eco Route Advisory is proud to be a supporter of the Drive to Zero coalition by developing data-driven decision-making tools designed to help fleet operators decarbonise with confidence.”
Michael Bueltmann, Head of External Affairs of ABB E-mobility, a current endorser of the Global MOU had this to say, “Zero-emission transport is both an environmental imperative and an economic opportunity, touching every part of society – from addressing climate change to strengthening long-term competitiveness. At ABB E-mobility, our mission is to make sustainable transport accessible, reliable, and efficient. Through this MOU, we’re joining forces to turn that vision into reality.”
Christoph Heidt with the Institut für Energie und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH—a longtime endorser of the Global MOU adds, “We are convinced that zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are needed to meet the climate targets of the Paris Agreement. Electric drives are the most efficient way of using renewable electricity and are already practicable in many areas today.”
The Charging Up Change series is brought to you by CALSTART’s Drive to Zero program. Companies and subnational governments looking to accelerate innovation, grow jobs as well as economic and energy security are invited to endorse the Global MOU today!
Read more about the real people and companies who are “Charging Up Change” here.