Government of Quebec, Ingka Group (IKEA), City of Madison sign CALSTART’s Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero to Accelerate Zero-Emission Truck, Bus Adoption | Sept. 24, 2019

NEW YORK – The Government of Quebec, Ingka Group (IKEA), City of Madison and several other industry and organization innovators have pledged to join CALSTART’s Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero (Drive to Zero) program. The announcement was made at Drive to Zero’s Climate Week NYC workshop where transportation industry and government innovators are highlighting current and building new global actions and partnerships aimed at cutting climate emissions from trucks, buses and other large vehicles.

The Government of Quebec endorses the Drive to Zero pledge. Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, second from right.

“By joining the Drive to Zero pledge, Québec is committing to share its transportation electrification knowledge and expertise and coordinate its efforts with those of all partners to make zero-emission technology commercially viable by 2025 in the heavy vehicle sector and to ensure that global sales of these vehicles dominate by 2040,” said Benoit Charette, Quebec Minister of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change.

Drive to Zero pledge partners at Climate Week NYC.

Additional just announced Drive to Zero pledge partners announced today include Coaster Cycles, the International Commuter Challenge, Prestolite eDrive Systems, StrapWing, Tevva, USGRIDCO and Windfall Ecology Center. Pledge partners commit to collaboratively put in place supporting mechanisms to speed the early market for zero- and near-zero emission trucks, buses and equipment. A full list of current partners can be found here.

At today’s event:

  • Participants discussed the creation of an action plan aimed at exploring how the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada can play a leadership role in accelerating zero- and near-zero emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) adoption.
  • Attendees were introduced to a new global coalition of programs called ACT (Action towards Climate friendly Transport) of which Drive to Zero and its strategy is a core part;
  • Participants learned of Drive to Zero’s C40 cities Zero-emission Freight (ZEF) Academy engagement.

Drive to Zero Climate Week NYC

Drive to Zero is a strategic international initiative designed to catalyze the growth of the zero-emission (ZE) and near-zero-emission (NZ) MHDV sector, which includes everything from transit buses to eighteen wheelers to box trucks to school buses. The program’s goal is to drive market viability for near- and zero-emission vehicles in the MHDV sector in key urban communities by 2025 and achieve full market penetration by 2040. It is built upon a technology strategy, called the beachhead strategy, that identifies the commercial vehicle market segments where ZE and NZ technology is likely to succeed first.

L-R: CALSTART President and CEO John Boesel, Drive to Zero pledge partners Minister George Heyman of British Columbia and Minister Benoit Charette of Quebec.

“Drive to Zero’s strategy targets the top truck and bus applications where transformation can happen quickly and unites key regions of change, along with leading manufacturers and fleet users, to collaboratively speed adoption of these crucial segments first through requirements, policies, incentives, investments and infrastructure that support early market success,” said John Boesel, President and CEO of clean transportation technology accelerator CALSTART.

CALSTART organized today’s Climate Week NYC workshop in partnership with the City of New York and Government of Quebec in recognition of their governments’ commitments to cutting emissions in this critical sector.

“Quebec is currently developing an Electrification and Climate Change Plan to support our government’s commitment to reduce its GHG emissions by 37.5 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2030. We recognize the truck and bus sector plays a critical role in our success and we are now looking at ways to support local leaders in that sector, infrastructure and the public so we can accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in Quebec and throughout North America,” said Minister Charette.

“NYC Fleet operates one of the nation’s largest alternative fuel fleets, with over 2,000 plug-in vehicles and 19,000 fleet units using some type of alternative, cleaner fuel,” says New York City Chief Fleet Officer Keith Kerman with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “We are excited to host this forum with CALSTART as we work together to advance the fleet industry and bring more zero-emission vehicles and trucks into use.”

Additional transportation innovators including British Columbia, FedEx, Lion Electric Co., ClimateWorks Foundation, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Edison International, The Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and The Climate Group

CALSTART CEO and President John Boesel thanks Ingka Group’s (IKEA) Angela Hultberg for taking the pledge to Drive to Zero.

took part in today’s Drive to Zero Climate Week NYC workshop.

“Transport is the fastest growing emissions sector. Ingka (formerly IKEA Group) wants to lead change and go 100 percent zero emissions for last mile deliveries by the year 2025. We are confident we can achieve this through collaboration and new ways of working. The technology is good enough to get started, and that is what we are doing. The time for action is now. With EVs already deployed in 13 markets we are excited to learn and work to make the current solutions even better,” said Angela Hultberg, Head of Sustainable Mobility for IKEA Group.”

Northeast & Eastern Canada Action Plan

Today’s Drive to Zero Climate Week NYC workshop explored how to grow, accelerate and create an action plan for ZE and NZ MHDV adoption in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada.

“The US Northeast and Eastern Canada have a history of strong climate and clean energy goals and of working collaboratively to cut emissions from the electricity and transportation sector through efforts like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Transportation Climate Initiative, and local efforts. These regions are uniquely positioned to drive the development of a cleaner, more advanced medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sector,” said Boesel.

ACT Coalition

In advance of today’s event and as a part of the United Nations Secretary-General Climate Action Summit, CALSTART and 100 global organizations committed this week to drastically cut emissions from transport through a collaborative effort, Action towards Climate-friendly Transport (ACT).  The coalition will connect innovative approaches to decarbonization with long-term planning, electric vehicle deployment, private sector engagement and growing the market for ZE freight vehicles. As a core partner within the ACT coalition, CALSTART, the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA), and EV100 will work collaboratively to increase global demand for ZE freight vehicles through commitments made by governments, cities and private companies.

“In our engagement with global partners, we are showing that the early successes for adoption – transit bus and delivery trucks – help to grow the market and supply chain for successive phases of additional vehicle segments where the technology can flourish next,” said Bill Van Amburg, Executive Vice President of CALSTART.

C40 cities Zero-emission Freight (ZEF) Academy

As a sign of the accelerating global commitment to transforming commercial vehicles, Van Amburg is today representing Drive to Zero on the other side of the continent in Vancouver, Canada in support of partner, C40 Cities.

A network of more than 90 of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change, C40 cities is hosting its Zero-emission Freight (ZEF) Academy in Vancouver. Leading cities and experts will inform cities’ transition to ZEF and commercial vehicles and support the implementation of zero-emission areas (ZEAs) where only zero-emission vehicles are allowed to operate. CALSTART’s Drive to Zero program strategy is providing the underlying blueprint to help cities focus on first-success markets, such as urban delivery vehicles, and build supporting ecosystems of policies, incentives, infrastructure and pilot projects.

“Coordinated action across world cities will increase demand for zero-emission commercial vehicles, thus increasing model availability and reducing costs,” said Cristiano Façanha, Global Director of the Drive to Zero program, who helped develop briefing materials for today’s C40 Cities Freight Academy.

Drive to Zero is developing tools, identifying best practices, eliminating barriers, and coordinating among stakeholders to ensure the success of beachhead markets and technologies. Today’s Drive to Zero invitation-only workshop at Latham & Watkins, LLP in New York City is an official event of Climate Week NYC, the biggest Climate Week event in the world. Run in coordination with the United Nations (UN) and the City of New York, this year Climate Week runs in parallel with the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit.

CALSTART | Changing transportation for good

 A national nonprofit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado and California, CALSTART partners with 210+ member company and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient and clean high-tech transportation industry. We knock out barriers to modernization and the adoption of clean vehicles. CALSTART is changing transportation for good.

 

Climate Week NYC Workshop Highlights

L-R: CALSTART President and CEO John Boesel, Drive to Zero pledge partners Minister George Heyman of British Columbia and Minister Benoit Charette of Quebec.

 

Drive to Zero pledge partners gathered at CALSTART’s Climate Week NYC workshop.

 

CALSTART CEO & President John Boesel kicks off the Global Commercial Vehicle Climate Week NYC workshop.

 

CALSTART’s government leadership panel at the Drive to Zero Climate Week NYC workshop with ClimateWorks Foundation’s Anthony Eggert moderating, Edison International/Southern California Edison’s Caroline Choi, Government of Quebec’s Dave Henry, NYCEDC’s Adam Lomasney, and NYSERDA’s Adam Ruder.

 

CALSTART Northeast’s Director Ben Mandel.

 

Inkga Group’s (IKEA) Angela Hultberg signs the pledge to Drive to Zero!

 

L-R: Minister George Heyman of British Columbia, Peter Rose of the Government of Quebec, and Ben Mandel, Northeast Director for CALSTART.

 

Merran Smith of Clean Energy Canada, joined by Ben Mandel and John Boesel of CALSTART.

 

Ben Mandel welcomes current and new Drive to Zero pledge partners to join him for a photo.

 

James Beard of The Climate Group moderates the “First Movers Showcase.”

 

Drive to Zero “First Movers Showcase” featuring Keith Kerman of NYC DCAS, Christine Weydig of Port Authority of NY & NJ, Russ Musgrove of FedEx and Peter Rego of Lion Electric Co.

 

L-R: James Beard of The Climate Group, Keith Kerman of NYC DCAS, Russ Musgrove of FedEx, Christine Weydig of Port Authority of NY & NJ and Peter Rego of Lion Electric Co.

 

Maruxa Cardama, Secretary General of the Partnerships on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport

 

Caroline Choi, Edison International/Southern California Edison

 

L-R: Anthony Eggert of ClimateWorks Foundation, Adam Ruder of NYSERDA, Adam Lomasney of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Dave Henry of the Government of Quebec, Caroline Choi of Edison International/Southern California Edison

Vancouver Workshop Highlights

Photo highlights from the May 28th Drive to Zero Workshop in Vancouver

Check out the BYD – it has a 200km (124.3 mile) range and can be charged in three-and-one-half to four hours.

Global and Canadian leaders in goods movement, services and public transport explain what is needed to speed fleet transition. Featured experts include Claude Nahon, Sustainable Development Director, Electricitéde France (EDF); Russell Davies, Manager of Transit Fleet, City of Calgary; Julie Johnson, Manager, National Business Development, Ryder Systems.

The zero-emission, battery-electric New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE™ has up to 309km (192 miles) range, and also features SmartRider™ intelligent leveling technology, allowing the bus to “kneel” to any curb height and making it fully accessible to all passengers.

Frank Rieck, Applied Research Professor, Smart e-Mobility, Automotive Center of Expertise

First-mover truck and bus makers and their supply partners will unveil the roll out of low carbon, clean trucks and buses, and what is needed to make it happen faster. Featured experts are Randy MacEwen, President & CEO, Ballard Power Systems; Stella Li, President, BYD Motors, Inc.; David Warren, Director of Sustainable Technology, New Flyer; and Manfred Schmidt, Senior Director Global Business Development Electric Commercial Vehicles, Siemens AG.

Leading urban centers describe their actions to drive early change and the results to date. Featured experts are Amy Sidwell, Manager of Equipment Services, City of Vancouver; Don Iveson, Mayor, City of Edmonton; and Kees Slingerland, Director, Automotive Center of Expertise, The Netherlands.

Leading regions of the world describe their actions to drive early change and results to date. Featured experts are Amol Phadke, Lead, India Research Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; Mark Zacharias, Deputy Minister, British Columbia, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change; Sonja Munnix, Senior Advisor, Netherlands Enterprise Agency; and David Hochschild, Chair, California Energy Commission.

Minister Amarjeet Sohi delivers remarks at the Drive to Zero workshop in Vancouver at CEM10/MI-4.

Minister Catherine McKenna announces Canada’s support for Drive to Zero.

Representatives from Canada, British Columbia and Vancouver endorse the Drive to Zero program at CEM10/MI-4.