The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) announced that the application period is now open for the “Zero-Emission Drayage Truck and Infrastructure Pilot Project.” (GFO-20-606) Eligible applicants to this competitive solicitation include local air districts, California-based public entities, and California-based non-profit organizations. The total funding available for this project is up to $44.1 million.

Funds provided through this proposed solicitation include $24 million for projects eligible under CARB’s Fiscal Year 2019-20 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives for Low Carbon Transportation Investments and the Air Quality Improvement Program, and $20.1 million from the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program (formerly known as the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program).

For the purpose of this solicitation, drayage trucks are defined as on-road heavy duty trucks that transport containers and bulk to and from the ports and intermodal railyards as well as many other locations. Regional haul trucks, for the purpose of this solicitation, have daily ranges of 200 to 400 miles on a single charge or refueling event and are designed for day-use and typically return to a home base each night.

• CARB funding will be allocated towards the purchase of on-road zero-emission Class 8 trucks.

• CEC funding will support zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and installation, and workforce training and development.

• Other costs associated with administrative and data collection tasks will be supported by either CARB or CEC.

Selected Awardees will enter into two grant agreements: one with CARB to fund trucks, and one with the CEC to fund infrastructure and workforce training and development.

The grant solicitation and all associated documents are available from California Energy Commission.

The goals under this competitive solicitation are to:

1. advance zero-emission technology for Class 8 on-road trucks with a focus on regional haul or drayage service;

2. understand fleet dynamics when deploying a large number of zero-emission trucks and supporting infrastructure, including assessing the ability of fleets to recharge or refuel large numbers of trucks on a daily basis – sometimes multiple times per day;

3. support zero-emission, on-road heavy-duty truck manufacturers to realize economies of scale that come with larger production volumes;

4. holistically reduce greenhouse gas (GHG), criteria pollutant, and toxic air contaminant emissions in and around ports and freight facilities; and

5. provide economic, environmental, and public health benefits to disadvantaged and low-income communities.