Nine nations on four continents have agreed to work collaboratively to grow zero-emission commercial vehicle manufacturing, infrastructure and deployment at home and globally. The Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero (Drive to Zero)—a program of CALSTART and a new campaign of the Clean Energy Ministerial under the Electric Drive Initiative—is expanding this international push.

Canada, China, Chile, Finland, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden made the announcement at a pre-event ahead of the Eleventh Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM11) next week. CEM is a global forum for top energy ministers designed to drive forward policies and programs that advance clean energy technology.

These nations and more than 80 government, city, industry, fleet and utility partners have agreed to work collaboratively to identify best practices to support and accelerate the growing zero-emission commercial vehicle market, eliminate barriers to development and adoption, and coordinate among stakeholders to grow the zero-emission commercial vehicle segment. The goals of Drive to Zero are outlined in the Drive to Zero pledge.

Our economy depends on the efficient movement of goods. Greener commercial vehicles will lower global emissions. Today, I call upon other governments and the private sector to join us in the campaign.

—Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources

Canada was the first national government to become a Drive to Zero pledge partner for zero-emission commercial vehicles at CEM10 last year in Vancouver. Representatives from Canada and China, co-leads of CEM’s Electric Vehicles Initiative, welcomed the new nations to the Drive to Zero program and campaign.