Ceres, a nonprofit organization focused on transforming the economy to build a sustainable future, has announced the launch of a new alliance to help companies accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, which is views as a key component of tackling the climate crisis. The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance will help its member companies make and achieve bold commitments to fleet electrification, and is expected to boost the electric vehicle market by signaling the breadth and scale of corporate demand for electric vehicles — expanding the business case for the production of a more diverse array of electric vehicle models. It will also provide a platform to coordinate support for policies that enable fleet electrification.
“The climate crisis demands we decarbonize transportation — the highest-emitting sector in the U.S. — and electric vehicles are an essential component of this transition,” said Ceres vice president of climate and energy, Sue Reid. “With companies controlling more than half the vehicles on the road in the U.S. today, they have a tremendous role to play in leading the transition to electric vehicles — both in terms of electrifying their own fleets and in leveraging their buying power to send a strong market signal to automakers and policymakers alike. The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance is where the rubber hits the road.”
Companies also have a clear economic incentive to electrify their fleets. Electric vehicles are poised to present significant benefits to companies, including cost savings on fuel and maintenance, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, freedom from reliance on volatile oil and gas prices, improved driver safety, enhanced company reputation, and bolstered workforce recruitment and retention.
Ceres has launched the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance to address the fact that the electric vehicle market is advancing, but not fast enough to meet the needs of every company. The nonprofit group notes that automakers are not producing the necessary range of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric vehicle models at the economies of scale many fleet operators need. There are also opportunities for an improved state and federal policy landscape to accelerate development and deployment of electric vehicles and infrastructure at scale.
The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance helps address these challenges by providing a platform for its members to collaborate to identify challenges and potential solutions, and to leverage aggregate corporate demand to:
- Production of new and increased volumes of EV models,
- EV market growth and economies of scale,
- Adoption of supportive policies and the removal of policy barriers, and
- Peer-to-peer learning with regard to industry best practices.
The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance’s flagship members are: Amazon, AT&T, Clif Bar, Consumers Energy, DHL, Direct Energy, Genentech, IKEA North America, LeasePlan, Lime, and Siemens.
These members operate some of the largest fleets in the U.S. Some have already made significant commitments to electric vehicles, and will look to the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance to help them meet their goals.
“As part of The Climate Pledge, which includes the purchase of 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans and a commitment to deliver 50% of shipments with net zero carbon by 2030, we are pursuing the highest standards in transportation sustainability. But we can’t get there alone, said Kara Hurst, head of worldwide sustainability at Amazon. We’re looking forward to working with fellow Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance members to share best practices to remove carbon emissions from our transportation business.”
”We’ve been providing our employees alternative transportation options for more than two decades, and are the first company in the world to incorporate electric double-decker motor coaches in our fleet,” said Andy Jefferson, director of transportation for Genentech. “We are excited to have begun electrifying our sales vehicle fleet and look forward to partnering with members of the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance to help promote the benefits of fleet electrification.”
“Given our corporate commitment to being carbon neutral by 2030, electrifying our fleet is an essential step,” said John DeBoer, Head of Siemens eMobility and Future Grid Business Unit, North America. “We’re looking forward to joining with other companies to accelerate the adoption of EVs for fleets, consumers, transit agencies, and others through the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance.”
“Many companies understand the myriad benefits of fleet electrification, but they’re lacking a supportive alliance of like-minded peers committed to sharing best practices and collaborating to move the market,” said Sara Forni, Senior Manager of Clean Vehicles at Ceres. “The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance is filling that gap, and powering companies forward into the low-carbon future.” Read comments from the other flagship members here.
“The Climate Group is excited to join Ceres as an engagement partner on their new initiative, the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance,” said Amy Davidsen, Executive Director, North America, The Climate Group said. The transportation sector is the fastest-growing contributor to climate change and businesses have an important role to play in accelerating the transition to electric transport. By working in partnership with Ceres we aim to scale-up corporate leadership on electric vehicles in the U.S. The Alliance will provide additional practical guidance to companies looking to implement their commitments to initiatives like EV100 – our leading corporate leadership campaign on EVs — making it easier for more U.S. businesses to go electric by 2030.”
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