Paris Climate Accord, Net Zero by 2050 Goals in Jeopardy – Nations to Issue New Urgent Call to Action

Netherlands, CALSTART’s Drive to Zero to lead new int’l coordinated effort targeting zero-emission trucks, buses

SANTIAGO, Chile – Recognizing that efforts to reach Paris Climate Accord goals are in jeopardy in part due to the recent boom in e-commerce and resulting transport sector growth, multiple nations will issue a collective urgent call to action at the 12th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM12) in Chile. The government of the Netherlands and CALSTART’s Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero program and campaign (Drive to ZeroTM) will announce details of this new international effort to cut climate emissions, improve air quality, drive clean technology investment and support good paying jobs on May 31, 2021 at 11:05 CEST at its CEM12 event, Accelerating Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (register here).

“Representing only four percent of the global on-road fleet, trucks are responsible for about 27 percent of global on-road fuel and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Dr. Cristiano Façanha, Global Director of CALSTART’s Drive to Zero. “The e-commerce boom brought on by the COVID pandemic has likely permanently changed our transport needs. National and subnational climate plans must address this new reality if we hope to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”

This new coordinated action comes in the wake of data from CALSTART (How Zero-Emission Heavy-Duty Trucks Can Be Part of the Climate Solution, May 2021) showing the accelerating growth of the zero-emission truck segment from a new model availability, cost and range perspective.

“The number of new models on the market, the advancement of battery technology, the path to cost parity and the growing range for zero-emission trucks are all happening faster than anticipated,” said Dr. Façanha. “Nations and subnational governments that are serious about their climate commitments should take a closer look at what is happening with zero-emission trucks today. Ambitious goals for adoption, sales, manufacturing and infrastructure are attainable given the trajectory of the zero-emission truck segment toward commercialization.”

The new data from CALSTART Drive to Zero’s Zero-Emission Technology Inventory (ZETI) shows:

  • The number of available and announced models of new zero-emission heavy-duty trucks is expected to grow from 40 to 71 in the United States, Canada, China and Europe between 2020 and 2023 – a nearly 80 percent increase over just three years.
  • During the same time period, the number of zero-emission commercial vehicles on the market in the United States, Canada, China and Europe is expected to grow nearly 30 percent, with 468 models on the market in 2020 and 606 models projected for 2023.
  • 114 out of 119 of zero-emission medium-duty trucks (MD step van, MD trucks) on the market have ranges that hover around or higher (>80 miles) than the average needed range.
  • 67 out of 119 of zero-emission medium-duty trucks now on the market (MD step van, MD truck) have average ranges (>150 miles) that are well over the average range these vehicles travel in a day.

In addition, the latest projections from CALSTART (Moving Zero-Emission Freight Toward Commercialization, Dec. 2020) show electric trucks will be less expensive to own and operate by 2025-2030. Each of the zero-emission commercial vehicle types examined (cargo vans, medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, yard tractors) will reach cost parity with diesel freight vehicles before 2030. The zero-emission vehicles in the 12t range will reach a cost equivalence in 2026. The heavier vehicles, in the 19t and 40-44t categories, will respectively achieve cost parity by 2028 and 2029.

CALSTART’s Drive to Zero program and campaign aims to drive market viability for zero-emission commercial vehicles in key vehicle segments in urban communities by 2025 and achieve full market penetration by 2040. The program and campaign enjoys the support of more than 100 government, city, industry, fleet and utility partners including the nations of Canada, China, Chile, Finland, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden as well as  BYD, Scania, New Flyer Industries, ARRIVAL, IKEA Retail (Ingka Group), DHL, Ryder, Black and Veatch, Siemens, the California Air Resources Board, the cities of New York, Los Angeles, Oslo, Vancouver and many others.

Drive to Zero is also an official Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) campaign under the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI). Drive to Zero collaborates closely with Action Towards Climate-friendly Transport (ACT), the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA) and The Climate Group / EV100.

Register today for the Drive to Zero CEM12 event, Accelerating Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles on May 31, 2021 at 11:05 CEST.

CALSTART | Changing transportation for good

A national nonprofit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado and California, CALSTART partners with 270+ 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.

Contact: Roxanna Smith | [email protected] | 510.326.0390