Infrastructure availability is one of the biggest barriers facing the transition to zero-emission technologies today. The reality is that zero-emission fuels like electricity are cheaper and more efficient than gasoline and diesel and when paired with renewables can drop even lower. However, installing the infrastructure that is needed to refuel large vehicle fleets common in a commercialized setting requires an upgrade of the associated electrical equipment used to charge the vehicles. These upgrades cost local utility operators time and money to perform, so establishing a sound framework that enables these jobs to be executed in a timely, cost-efficient way is important to navigate this barrier. Infrastructure has been highlighted in this tool as another foundational pillar to building a supportive zero-emission ecosystem for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Governments must be proactive in understanding these additional costs and their benefits and take the initiative to work with local energy grids and utility providers to innovate favorable pricing schemes, make-ready programs, and other examples of ways cost can be spread or reduced altogether and these projects planned and executed in an efficient manner.

For transparency and clarity, for a country to achieve the “maximum” eligibility, a country must:

• Establish nationwide and multi-year investment program for ZE-MHDV infrastructure.

To receive “limited” eligibility a country must:

• Establish a multi-year investment program for ZE-MHDV infrastructure at the regional level; OR
• Establish a robust national roadmap for ZE-MHDV infrastructure planning and funding.