Sustainability non-profit organization Ceres has launched the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance to accelerate electric vehicle development.
Amazon and DHL are among the major companies to have already joined the alliance in a bid to expand the electric vehicle market and improve the policy landscape.
The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance is expected to boost the electric vehicle market by signaling the breadth and scale of corporate demand for EVs. 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 USA – and electric vehicles are an essential component of this transition,” said Ceres VP of climate and energy Sue Reid. “With companies controlling more than half the vehicles on the road in the USA 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 auto makers and policymakers alike. The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance is where the rubber hits the road.”
Ceres 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. Auto makers are not producing the necessary range of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric vehicle models at the economies of scale many fleet operators need.
“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.”
Mike Parra, CEO, DHL Express Americas, added, “DHL is very excited to be joining the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance as a founding member. As part of our commitment to achieve net-zero emissions from transportation activities by 2050 globally, we have set the ambitious interim target of performing 70% of first- and last-mile operations with green vehicles by 2025. Electric vehicles will play an important role in reaching that target, so we very much welcome the Alliance’s efforts to realize the potential of EVs and accelerate their production and integration into transportation networks around the world.”
The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance is currently accepting new members. To learn more, visit www.ceres.org.