Climate Group launches EV100+ to tackle world’s most polluting road vehicles

A new zero emission road transport leadership commitment, EV100+, has been launched by the international non-profit organisation, Climate Group, at this year’s Climate Week NYC.  

Five globally recognised businesses, including IKEA, Unilever, JSW Steel Limited, A.P. Moller – Maersk and GeoPost/DPDgroup, are the founding members of the initiative. This aims to phase out the heaviest and most polluting vehicles on today’s roads.  

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Together they have committed to transition their fleet of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, known as medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), to zero emissions by 2040 in OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) markets, China and India.  

Representing just four percent of all vehicles on the road globally, MHDVs account for 40 percent of all road transport emissions and a third of total transport fuel use. These vehicles produced over five percent of total global CO2 emissions in 2019, predicted to increase to over 11 percent by 2050 if steps to decarbonise are not taken. 

To achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement, heavy-duty road transport must be completely decarbonised. With advances in technology making it possible, all new trucks sold in the world’s major markets must be zero emission by 2040. 

Sandra Roling, Climate Group Director of Transport, said: “We’re very excited to launch EV100+ at this year’s Climate Week NYC. It’s a great demonstration of leadership from the founding members. 

“MHDVs represent the final frontier of zero emission road transportation, and EV100+ will tackle the heaviest, most polluting vehicles across the world.” 

EV100+’s founding members are helping to drive demand for zero emission MHDVs from manufacturers and supporting governments in implementing policies that encourage their adoption at the speed and scale needed. 

EV100+ builds on the success of Climate Group’s global EV100 initiative. This was launched in 2017 and now celebrating its fifth anniversary. It brings together companies committed to making electric transport the new normal by 2030.  

In five years, EV100 has grown to a group of over 120 businesses right across the globe, committing over 5.5 million vehicles to electric by 2030. Hopefully, this campaign will be equally successful and encourage more global businesses to join and expand the campaign for cleaner transport in the logistics sphere. 

Roling added: “We have seen over the last five years how EV100 has acted as a powerful catalyst for change across light-duty vehicle fleets. Now it’s time for EV100+ to drive this change across global MHDV fleets as well – businesses are willing to lead this change.”

Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld, IKEA Supply Chain Operations Manager, said “Key to accelerating the deployment of zero-emission trucks is to collaborate across the transport industry with confidence and clarity on the direction. 

“The electrification of transport plays a big role in phasing out fossil fuels in the IKEA supply chain. We are joining EV100+ to magnify the movement toward sustainable transportation. It is urgent and doable.”

Morten Bo Christiansen, A.P. Moller – Maersk SVP – Head of Decarbonisation, said “We are thrilled to be one of the founding members of Climate Group’s new EV100+ initiative alongside other leading businesses. In A.P. Moller – Maersk, we are committed to transition our entire business to net zero emissions by 2040 –  including our landside business.

“This initiative sends a powerful message to customers, partners, and manufacturers that we believe the future of our global medium- and heavy-duty fleet is net zero emissions.”

Sanjay Rath, JSW Steel Limited Executive Vice President – Commercial and Purchase, said: “By joining EV100+ initiative as a founding member, we at JSW Steel advance our commitment to support India’s net zero goal.  

“JSW Steel has an ambitious target of reducing its carbon emission by 42 percent (versus base year 2005) by FY30. We are currently on the journey towards achieving the target through a strategic climate action agenda and various steps in our operations. 

“Through this commitment we would want to decarbonise our freight operations by transitioning the fleet (in heavier segments > 7.5t) to electric vehicles or alternatives, thus allowing our unrelenting desire to become better every day.”

Ian Osborne
Ian Osborne
Editor-in-Chief at ElectricDrives

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