Maryland-based nonprofit Climate United announced plans on Tuesday to invest up to $250 million to purchase as many as 500 electric semi trucks over the next three years.
The organization aims to lease these vehicles at competitive rates to truckers servicing California’s seaports, where around 33,000 drayage trucks will need to comply with zero tailpipe emissions by 2035.
With heavy-duty electric trucks currently making up less than 1% of the U.S. trucking fleet, the program could help accelerate the transition away from diesel, which is a significant source of greenhouse gases.
Electric trucks can cost up to three times more than conventional diesel models, presenting a challenge for independent drivers and smaller fleets. “High upfront costs make it difficult for independent owner-operators and small fleets to transition to all-electric,” noted Climate United CEO Beth Bafford.
The nonprofit plans to prioritize Class 8 trucks assembled in the U.S. and expects to make its first orders in early 2025. The initiative is backed by a $6.97 billion grant from the National Clean Investment Fund, part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund established under President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Climate United is partnering with Forum Mobility, which is developing charging infrastructure at California ports and along freight corridors. “For so long, this has been the story of the chicken and the egg. You can’t have the trucks before you have the charging, and you can’t have the charging before you have the trucks,” said Forum Mobility Vice President Jacqueline Torres.
