State government agencies and companies signed on to a new program intended toaccelerate the deployment of zero and near-zero emission commercial vehicles and technologies. The “Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero” pledge is championed by CALSTART, a non-profit industry organization with more than 190-member companies, aimed at reducing emissions from trucks and buses in high-potential markets.

The Pledge focuses on eight global market segments for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The goals are to achieve commercial success in each of these markets internationally by 2025, and have zero emission technology dominate new sales in these segments by 2040.

Based on analytical work performed by CALSTART—the executive secretariat of the Pledge—the California Air Resources Board has adopted this targeted application approach, known as the “beachhead” strategy, to advance these technologies in California. The Pledge applies this strategy on a global scale, targeting transit buses, shuttle buses, package and delivery trucks, urban “box” trucks, yard tractors, port handling equipment and regional Class 7/8 drayage (cargo) trucks.

The new program will support the advancement of the beachhead markets by identifying barriers, sharing solutions and best practices and conducting analysis. Among the global beachhead markets targeted by the Pledge, transit buses are growing the fastest. There are more than 100,000 zero emission transit buses now in operation around the world.

The Pledge was announced today at an affiliated event in advance of the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.

Signers and supporters of the Pledge include:

• Government: City of New York; New York State Energy Research & Development Authority; California Air Resources Board; South Coast Air Quality Management District; Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Los Angeles Department of Transportation; Foothill Transit

• Elected Officials: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg; Stockton Mayor Michael D. Tubbs; Oslo Governing Mayor Raymond Johansen

• Industry: Siemens; BYD; Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks; New Flyer Industries; Proterra; Southern California Edison; Ballard Power Systems; Ryder; Chanje Energy; Axle Tech; Effenco; Workhorse; Orange EV; Mayor USA; Motiv Power Systems; Transpower; US Hybrid; Lightning Systems; Auto Research Institute; Viatec; XL Fleet; West Valley Construction; Zenith Motors; Unique Electrical Solutions