EV transition guide released

A group of 21 major global and US-based companies has released cross-sectoral fleet electrification principles providing guidance on what auto and truck manufacturers, regulators, policymakers, and utilities must do to advance the commercial EV market.

The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance (CEVA), led by sustainability non-profit organisation Ceres, aims to accelerate the business transition to EVs in all vehicle segments – from light-duty passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks.

While mainly geared to decarbonise the US transportation sector, the alliance’s guide also applies globally.

“There is wide consensus across the business community that the future of transportation must be electric, but that barriers to this critical and necessary transition persist,” Ceres clean vehicles senior manager Sara Forni says.

“That’s why the work of the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance to break down those barriers and outline the principles that each EV stakeholder group must follow to improve market, regulatory, and policy conditions is so timely and important. It signals the needs of companies and lays out a clear vision for the future of commercial vehicles.”

The nine principles are greater variety and volume of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) model options, access to cost-effective charging infrastructure and flexible rates, more transparency on new model release timing and availability, upfront cost parity with ICE vehicles, integrated access to renewable energy, improved coordination with and support from electric power companies and utility regulators, strategically sited and widely available charging infrastructure, technology interoperability and streamlined charging standards, and employee commute and regional transportation decarbonisation.

“Businesses need supportive policies at all levels of government to ensure the EV transition takes hold at the scale and speed necessary to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis,” Ceres state policy director Alli Gold Roberts says.

“Policies that increase the volume of EVs on the market and provide supportive infrastructure and incentives have already been effective drivers of increased uptake and key to global competitiveness.

“Businesses are supportive of these policies and are engaging more than ever in policy design and implementation.”

CEVA provides a platform for companies to share best practices and lessons, and to collaborate and identify common challenges and advocate for market and policy-based solutions.

“As the transportation sector accounts for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, fleet electrification is an essential and equitable way to improve air quality and meet carbon reduction goals,” head of Siemens eMobility Solutions and Future Grid Business in North America John DeBoer says.

“Clean transport requires a new level of collaboration among the private sector, government agencies, OEMs and utilities to meet critically important 2030 and 2035 milestones. The principles of CEVA will serve as an important guide to get there.”

Visit https://www.ceres.org/corporate-electric-vehicle-alliance for more information.