Climate United Launches Historic $250M Electric Drayage Truck Program
October 29, 2024
Today, Climate United announced a new program to offer affordable leasing options for battery electric trucks to small fleets and independent operators to lower operational costs and reduce air pollution in port communities, beginning at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with the intention to expand nationally. Leveraging a $6.97 billion award from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund, Climate United Fund intends to invest up to $250 million to purchase up to 500 class 8 electric trucks, making it the largest single order of electric trucks in U.S. history. This program will accelerate the growth of electric truck manufacturing and battery technology innovation that is needed to deploy zero-emission, heavy-duty vehicles in communities across America.
“Electric drayage trucks cost less to operate, but high upfront costs make it difficult for independent owner-operators and small fleets to transition to all-electric,” said Beth Bafford, CEO of Climate United. “Through tax credits, incentives, and attractive financing, we are significantly reducing a cost barrier to sustain small businesses and help them lead the transition to electric vehicles. Investing in an inclusive green economy means supporting and growing small businesses, reducing pollution, improving public health in local communities that have historically borne the brunt of truck pollution, while building supply chains that make America more competitive globally.”
Climate United is partnering with California-based Forum Mobility to develop a program that meets the needs of small fleet operators. Forum Mobility is building a network of staffed and secure electric truck charging depots in California ports and along common freight routes, and provides charging services to help fleets navigate the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Elemental Impact, a non-profit investor in climate technologies, is further assisting Forum Mobility with policy support, community engagement, and additional wrap-around program services. California regulation requires all of California’s drayage fleet of approximately 33,000 trucks to be zero-emission by 2035. Forum Mobility’s partnership with Climate United will help ensure small operators are not left behind in that transition.
“Eighty percent of California’s drayage registry is comprised of small fleets, and it’s our job to make sure the transition to zero-emissions leaves no one behind, that fleets of all sizes have the opportunity to prosper,” said Matt LeDucq, CEO and co-founder of Forum Mobility. “The network of truck charging depots we are building will give fleets access to reliable charging, where they need it. For us, success means not just cleaner air for port communities, but also lower costs per mile for truckers, and this partnership between Forum Mobility and Climate United is a gamechanger.”
The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles account for more than 30% of all container imports to the United States, and pollutants from diesel drayage trucks harm the health of nearby port communities, which are disproportionately low-income communities and communities of color. Regional pollution of PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides leads to an estimated 483 premature deaths and more than 15,000 asthma attacks per year, two-thirds of which occur in low-income communities. This project will mitigate these negative health impacts while decreasing emissions by an estimated 50,000 tons of CO2 per year.
“The Port of Long Beach plays a critical role in our nation’s supply chain and our local economy, and this project is an opportunity to become a global leader in the transition to zero-emission trucks,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “By helping small fleet owners transition to electric trucks, we can support local businesses while creating cleaner air and better public health for local communities.”
“For zero-emission battery-electric truck deployments to scale, cost has to be at the forefront of any discussion,” said Matt Schrap, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association (HTA). “HTA appreciates innovative solutions that can help support fleets in this push for zero-emission. It is always encouraging to see a program that reduces upfront costs by pairing both infrastructure and the truck together. They are inexorably intertwined, you can’t have one without the other and when the two are combined, it solves a lot of challenges for carriers.”
"Climate United’s announced RFP is a critical step toward a cleaner, healthier future for communities around the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach," said Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán. "For too long, families have borne the brunt of diesel pollution from drayage trucks, facing disproportionate rates of asthma, respiratory illness, and other health challenges. This $250 million commitment will reduce pollution, address the climate crisis, and improve public health. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, this federal investment will help local businesses transition their fleets to meet the 2035 goal of 100% zero-emission trucking in the San Pedro Bay Ports Complex.”
Climate United Fund is requesting proposals from qualified manufacturers to deliver up to 500 electric drayage trucks and will be prioritizing vehicles with domestically made parts and assembled in the U.S., creating good-paying green jobs for American workers. Interested manufacturers can learn more and apply at ClimateUnited.org. Fleet operators interested in accessing these trucks can contact Forum Mobility with information on how to get involved.
About Climate United
Climate United is a national nonprofit coalition leveraging $6.97 billion from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund program to invest in green solutions and remove financial barriers to clean technologies so every American benefits from good-paying jobs, lower energy bills, and better public health. Formed by Calvert Impact, Community Preservation Corporation, and Self-Help, the coalition brings decades of experience in impact investing to increase environmental sustainability and unlock new, lasting economic opportunities in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Learn more at ClimateUnited.org.
About Forum Mobility
Forum Mobility is a leading zero emission trucking solutions provider. Forum builds and operates heavy duty electric truck charging depots, and provides customers with charging – or a truck plus charging together – to make the transition to zero emission vehicles as easy as possible. Learn more at forummobility.com.
