Small-fleet trucking resources for the zero-emission future, now.

About Transforming Trucks

The U.S. runs on trucks. More than 70% of the goods we use everyday—from the food we eat to the clothes on our backs—are moved from point A to point B (and C and D) on trucks. That’s not going to change anytime soon. As demand for trucking continues to grow, so does congestion, noise, and air pollution. Many in the trucking industry understand that this is a real problem but not enough know that clean trucking solutions exist for small businesses and fleets.

Transforming Trucks is changing that.

As part of California’s commitment to decreasing emissions, Transforming Trucks is supported by California Climate Investments and managed by CALSTART. California programs, such as HVIP, have already helped fleets make the transition to zero emissions.

Transforming Trucks statistic: 7,000+ clean vehicles funded by HVIP (CARB)
Transforming Trucks statistic: 1,400+ fleets have participated in the program (CARB)
Transforming Trucks statistic: 20% average price savings for participants (CARB)
Zero-Emission vehicles charging

Welcome to the One-Stop-Shop!

Transforming Trucks shows you—not just tells you—what is possible with ZEVs today and now. Small businesses and fleets have access to the information and resources you need to feel confident when transitioning your fleet to zero emissions.

Here you will find fleet transformation success stories that show how businesses, and the communities they operate in, are benefitting from cleaner, zero-emission trucks.

Zero-Emission vehicles charging

Welcome to the One-Stop-Shop!

Transforming Trucks Transforming Communities shows you—not just tells you—what is possible with ZEVs today and now. Small businesses and fleets have access to the information and resources you need to feel confident when transitioning your fleet to zero emissions.

Here you will find fleet transformation success stories that show how businesses, and the communities they operate in, are benefitting from cleaner, zero-emission trucks.

FAQs

What are the benefits of owning and operating a ZEV fleet?
  • Transforming Trucks: Fleets and businesses that use ZEVs save money and improves the driver experience. For example, electric trucks increase fleet efficiency and create new lifetime operational savings by lowering maintenance costs and reducing fuel costs. In addition, ZEVs produce less noise and fewer fumes, improving quality of life for truck drivers. A ZEV transition also brings new recruitment and retention opportunities, as well as business growth, as more drivers and customers prioritize companies with clean energy operations.
  • Transforming Communities: ZEVs improve public health and combat climate change. These trucks dramatically improve air quality for the communities surrounding truck yards and fleet routes by eliminating emissions and reducing health risks and costs associated with poor air quality.
What are incentive programs and how do they make zero-emission trucks more affordable?
  • To accelerate and facilitate the adoption of ZE trucks, many organizations and local governments offer voucher incentive programs to bring down upfront costs on vehicles proven to reduce air pollution and support local climate change goals. These may be offered by the local utility, or at the city, county, and state levels.
  • The California Air Resource Board maintains the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). HVIP offers point-of-sale vouchers to help make advanced vehicles more affordable. By funding over 7,000 vehicle purchases and delivering an average of 20% in price savings, HVIP has helped fleets invest in ZEVs at a fraction of the cost.
  • Knowing what incentives are available in your area and how you might qualify for them can paint a clearer picture of what to expect to pay when you are ready to transition. Some programs even offer additional incentives if you operate in a community particularly vulnerable to air pollution due to geographic and socioeconomic factors.
  • Federal incentives may be on the horizon, too, with President Biden’s recent proposal for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle tax incentives in 2022.
Where can I go to learn about what incentive programs are in my area?
How do I know which ZEV is right for me and my needs?
  • Finding the electric truck best suited for your fleet starts with understanding how your current vehicle needs translate to a ZEV. Route data and fleet telematics like location, total mileage, and vehicle uptime and downtime can help you zero in on the right model. For instance, EVs are perfect for trucks with significant idle time because they use zero energy while idling, whereas diesel trucks use fuel even when idling.
  • When picking the right ZE truck for your duty cycle and business model, fleets might need to consider a different truck class. If you’re currently running your truck at maximum payload, you may need to consider moving to the next class of electric vehicle.
  • With every major manufacturer offering their own version of an electric truck, you now have more options than ever before. Connecting with an approved, local dealer will be crucial for understanding the current state of the ZE truck market and the timelines needed to complete and receive orders. Your local dealer can also assist with cost comparisons between different products and break down lifetime costs as compared to your conventionally fueled vehicles.
Where can I learn more about what ZEVs are currently on the market?
  • The Zero-Emission Technology Inventory (ZETI) tool is an online resource used for cataloging worldwide commercially available offerings of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. ZETI provides comprehensive information, including regions where certain brands are available for purchase, timelines for future models, and model specifications and details.
What fueling options are available today?
  • ZEVs fall into two categories: battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell. Battery-electric vehicles are widely available and have matured greatly since first emerging in the mid-1990s. Battery prices have also dropped by nearly 90%, so they’re greatest benefit is incredible fuel savings. Smaller fleets are suited to battery-electric vehicles rather than hydrogen vehicles; with battery-electric, you can have chargers installed right at your facility.
  • Hydrogen vehicles are still relatively new, which means they’re more expensive and a little more difficult to find. But they do have their benefits—they’re fueled in a way that’s a lot like traditional gas and diesel vehicles, offering a range of 300 and 500 miles for larger trucks.
I’m ready to begin planning for my future ZEV fleet. What do I need to do first?
  • Infrastructure needs to come first when planning for a ZE fleet. Understanding your current utility logistics will help you gauge your infrastructure needs and costs.
  • The process for coordinating charging infrastructure with your utility provider will vary depending on whether you rent or own your workspace, so plan accordingly with your property owner (or utilities manager) if needed. To avoid ongoing construction as your ZEV fleet expands, you can plan to install multiple years of charging infrastructure at once, or lay the conduit to make future installations easier.
  • Several utility providers also offer incentives to fleets in their service territory, so speak to your energy provider directly to better understand what charging infrastructure incentives are available in your area. Some even have programs to install a charger and can provide low energy rates.
What steps do I need to take to install proper infrastructure for my fleet?
  • There’s a common misconception that purchasing a ZEV is a one and done solution, which often leaves people with an expensive new asset and no plan in place to maintain the purchase over time. Those considering a transition to an electric fleet should take the time upfront to understand and plan future infrastructure logistics, like utility upgrade costs and timelines for charger installation, to optimize the transition.
  • Fleet managers should also evaluate building and land configurations to get a sense of necessary upgrades—from trenching and laying down conduit, to additional energy storage. While it may seem trivial, things like charger location really matter. Chargers should be placed based on driver behaviors so you can accommodate the end user and unlock maximum efficiency. This will also allow you to anticipate potential scaling needs should your fleet continue to expand.

Keep up to date on how small businesses and fleets are transforming to zero emissions.

Keep up to date on how small businesses and fleets are transforming to zero emissions.

Keep up to date on how small businesses and fleets are transforming to zero emissions.

Keep up to date on how small businesses and fleets are transforming to zero emissions.