Overview
Held on November 14th, 2024 at Con Edison in New York, 100+ public and private industry leaders convened for the 2024 Northeast Clean Transportation Summit. The purpose of this challenge was to: 1.) Agree on a regional and citywide critical obstacle to meet the Northeast’s clean transportation goals; 2.) Align on a 90-day sprint and 12-month objective to best address these obstacles; and 3.) Enable stakeholders to volunteer as part of a Task Force to deliver these solutions.
5 KEY THEMES
1. Promoting Equity and Health through Fleet Electrification
Low-income communities and communities of color, especially in urban areas like the Bronx, disproportionately bear the burden of vehicle emissions. Fleet electrification offers an opportunity to reduce harmful pollutants like NO₂ and PM₂.₅, which exacerbate asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Prioritizing these areas for infrastructure deployment and funding programs ensures these communities benefit from cleaner air and improved public health outcomes.
“Reducing NO₂ will also reduce ozone in summer and PM₂.₅ in winter, leading to substantial health benefits in overburdened communities of color.” — Sarah Johnson, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
2. Strengthening Charging Infrastructure and Grid Capacity
The lack of sufficient charging infrastructure and grid capacity is a significant obstacle to fleet electrification. Addressing this involves developing large-scale solutions, such as megawatt hubs and grid upgrades, while ensuring these systems are sustainable and accessible to all stakeholders. These efforts enable the region to meet growing energy demands and transition to zero-emission vehicles.
“In order to successfully electrify, we must identify clean energy fueling sources, such as building a 50-megawatt hub in the Northeast Corridor.” — Mike Landau, ParkMyFleet
3. Reducing Financial Barriers and Increasing Incentives
High upfront costs for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure remain a major deterrent. Expanding programs like the NY Truck Voucher Incentive and offering streamlined grants and financing options are essential for lowering the financial threshold for fleet operators, especially small businesses and contractors.
“Point-of-sale incentives can cover up to 100% of the cost difference between diesel and electric trucks, making EVs more accessible for fleet operators.” — Adam Ruder, NYSERDA
4. Building a Skilled and Diverse Workforce
The transition to electric fleets requires a well-trained workforce capable of managing and maintaining these systems. By investing in training programs and creating career pathways for underserved communities, stakeholders can address workforce gaps while promoting economic inclusion and sustainability.
“Not all fleet owner/operators have the expertise to evaluate or address electrification needs, highlighting the importance of training and advisory services.” — Joshua Ryor, MA EEA
5. Enhancing Stakeholder Collaboration and Education
Effective fleet electrification requires coordinated action among local governments, utilities, private companies, and fleet operators. Collaborative efforts, combined with outreach and education initiatives, ensure stakeholders are informed and equipped to participate in programs that promote cleaner and more efficient transportation systems.
“We need to identify all existing charging infrastructure in a community and engage stakeholders to overcome barriers and scale electrification.” — Yann Kulp, Driivz
Regional Fleet Electrification Speaker Summary:
During the morning session focused on Regional Fleet Electrification, each speaker provided an 8 minute and 5 slide presentation that concluded with this completed statement: “Regarding regional fleet electrification, a critical obstacle to collectively overcome in 12 months is ______.”
Adam Ruder (NYSERDA) provided Opening Remarks for this discussion, and highlighted funding opportunities, such as the NY Truck Voucher Incentives, to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles across New York State. Opening Remarks were also provided by Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud (Con Edison), Brian Wilkie (National Grid) and Joe Curtatone (ACT).
Mike Landau (ParkMyFleet) emphasized the importance of creating a 50-megawatt clean energy hub in the Northeast Corridor to address critical charging infrastructure needs for fleet electrification. Yann Kulp (Driivz) discussed the need for interoperable, multi-purpose community charging networks to break down silos and improve EV adoption. Joshua Ryor (MA EEA)outlined the challenges to medium- and heavy-duty fleet electrification, including cost, grid readiness, and the need for targeted technical expertise.
Participants agreed to prioritize the presented obstacles and developed this derived obstacle, and 90-day/12-month goal:
“Regarding regional fleet electrification, a critical obstacle to collectively overcome in 12 months is the lack of insights to most effectively scale NE MHD fleet electrification, starting in priority load zones that accounts for community EV infrastructure.”
Participants designed, presented, and selected a 90-day sprint and 12-month objective to overcome the above critical obstacle. 19 leaders came together to form a Task Force to complete the above 90-day sprint and 12-month objective.
Other proposed 90-Day Sprints and 12-Month Objectives included:
Regional Task Force Volunteers: Josh Ryor, MA EEA (Co-Lead), Matt Kavanagh, ELM (Co-Lead), Chris De Weaver, ELM, Jeff Rosenzweig, INF Associates, Janean Gardner, The JPI Group,, Anna Shulman, NYPA, Mike Landau, ParkMyFleet, Kenneth Jack, KenetIQ LLC, Micah Prior, Priority Consulting & Services, Mac Bruce, CALSTART, Zach Miller, Trucking Association of NY, Kaveh Aflaki, IEMS Solution, Samuel Davies, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, Laura Bacon, Camus Energy, Britta Gross, EPRI, Yann Kulp, Driivz, Maria Fields, Sprocket Power, Brian Morris, Avangrid
Citywide Fleet Electrification Speaker Summary:
During the afternoon session focused on Citywide Fleet Electrification, speakers provided an 8 minute and 5 slide presentation that concluded with this completed statement: “Regarding citywide fleet electrification, a critical obstacle to collectively overcome in 12 months is ______.”
Alison Kling (Con Edison) provided Opening Remarks for the session. Sarah Johnson (NYC Health) presented the significant health and equity benefits of reducing NO₂ and PM₂.₅ emissions through fleet electrification, particularly in underserved communities. Juan Corcino (Manhattan Beer) highlighted Manhattan Beer Distributors’ efforts to reduce emissions by adopting electric trucks, installing solar-powered infrastructure, and leveraging clean energy solutions.
Based on the speaker presentations, participants designed, presented, and selected a 12-month critical obstacle. 19 leaders came together to form a Task Force to design a 90-day sprint and 12-month objective to overcome the below derived obstacle:
“Regarding citywide fleet electrification, a critical obstacle to collectively overcome in 12 months is understanding different needs for different fleets. Develop a set of fleet electrification use cases (last mile, transit, tech services, taxi) to characterize unique needs and define charging options, geographic locations, equity, energy resources, policies & incentives for each.”
Citywide Task Force Volunteers: Kenneth Jack, KenetIQ LLC, Matt Kavanagh, ELM, Janean Gardner, The JPI Group, William Serratore, City of Yonkers NY, Adam Ruder, NYSERDA, John Joshi, NYSERDA, Susan McSherry, NYC Department of Transportation, Kaveh Aflaki, IEMS Solution, Mike Landau, ParkMyFleet, Zach Miller, Trucking Association of NY, Greg Fields, L-CHARGE, Ruth Fatolitis, CALSTART, Christine Weydig, AlphaStruxure, Michael Zimmerman, EDF
Other proposed 12-month critical obstacles included
Conclusion
The 2024 Northeast Clean Transportation Summit brought together 100+ industry leaders, policymakers, and advocates to address the critical challenges of fleet electrification in achieving the region’s climate, health, and equity goals. The Summit highlighted the importance of building robust charging infrastructure, reducing financial barriers through innovative incentives, and fostering collaboration among utilities, government, and private stakeholders. Key themes that emerged included advancing equitable access to clean transportation, prioritizing underserved communities, developing a skilled workforce, and integrating sustainable solutions for medium- and heavy-duty fleet electrification. As stakeholders move forward with a 12-month action plan, their collective efforts will be instrumental in accelerating the transition to zero-emission fleets and creating healthier, more equitable communities across the Northeast.
