Mobility, Fleet & Fuels

Business Goals & Action: Vehicles

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Business Goals & Action: Aviation

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ROLLS-ROYCE — Announced it completed compatibility testing of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on all its civil aero engine types in production, making it the first jet engine manufacturer to publicly do this. Tests showed that using 100% SAF did not affect the engines’ performance. (Dec 2023)

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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES — Updated its sustainability strategy, which includes several new goals: 1) electrifying 50% of eligible ground support equipment by 2030; 2) Saving 50 million incremental gallons of jet fuel by 2025 and 1.1 billion cumulative gallons by 2035; and 3) eliminating single-use plastics from inflight service where feasible by 2030. (Nov 2023)

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GOOGLE — Is joining American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) and Shell Aviation in their sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program, Avelia, which aims to aggregate corporate demand for SAF, thus helping to scale SAF and reduce its costs. (Aug 2023)

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TOTALENERGIES — Announced a new series of targets to scale production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), aiming to produce 500,000 tons by 2028 (enough to cover the EU SAF blending mandate of 6% in 2030) and 1.5 million tons of by 2030. This includes investing more than €740 million ($809 million) in France to convert several facilities into SAF producers, using circular feedstocks, like animal fats and used cooking oil. (June 2023)

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UNITED — Announced it would use 10 million gallons (37.9 million liters) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in 2023, three times what the company used in 2022. United also announced eight new participants in its Eco-Skies Alliance program to support SAF use on United’s Flights, including CEF members Bank of America and Cisco, bringing the total number in the program to 24. (May 2023)

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DELTA — Announced its roadmap to more sustainable travel and net-zero emissions by 2050, including (March 2023):

• 3% operational fuel savings by 2035 and 5% by 2050, plus an 80% and 100% reduction in addressable warming contrails respectively;
• 100% preferred vendors with net-zero plans by 2030 and 100% net-zero supply chain by 2050;
• 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030, 35% by 2035, and 95+% by 2050;
• Waste diversion from landfill of 65% by 2035 and 100% by 2050, and minimizing single-use plastics onboard by 2025.

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BOEING — Announced it will purchase 5.6 million gallons (21.2 million liters) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to support its operations through 2023. This is more than double Boeing’s procurement from 2022 and makes up 25% of Boeing’s total jet fuel needs for the past year. (Feb 2023)

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AIR NEW ZEALAND — Announced it had partnered with four aircraft makers to develop zero-emission demonstrator flights by 2026, using electric, green hydrogen, and hybrid technologies. Air New Zealand signed a letter of intent to order with Eviation, Beta, VoltAero and Cranfield Aerospace, aiming to purchase three aircrafts, with further options for 20, from one or more partners. (Dec 2022)

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JETBLUE — Committed to reducing Scope 1 and 3 emissions related to jet fuel by 50% per revenue tonne kilometer (RTK) by 2035 from a 2019 baseline. This target, approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligns with the company’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2040. To meet this target, JetBlue will increase its use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF); improve aircraft technology, fuel efficiency, and operations; and invest in high-quality carbon offsets. In 2023, the company will also stop purchasing carbon offsets for its domestic flights, instead increasing its investment in and use of SAF. (Dec 2022)

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Airbus and Renault have signed an R&D agreement to work together to mature technologies related to energy storage, particularly energy management optimization, battery weight, and shifting from lithium-ion to solid-state designs. The companies will also study the full lifecycle of future batteries. Airbus also announced that it is developing a hydrogen-powered full cell engine for use in zero-emission aircraft. It will start ground and flight testing toward 2025. (Dec 2022)

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Rolls-Royce and easyJet conducted the first-ever successful ground test of a regional aircraft engine converted to run on hydrogen. The test used green hydrogen, being created with renewable energy. Testing will continue, including for the larger Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 jet engine. (Dec 2022)

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RYANAIR / SHELL — Signed an MOU to advance the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at over 200 Ryanair airports across Europe. This will give Ryanair potential access to 360,000 metric tons (120 million gallons) of SAF between 2025 and 2030, enough to achieve a fifth of its target of powering 12.5% of flights with SAF by 2030. (Dec 2022)

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JETBLUE / FIDELIS NEW ENERGY — Announced an MOU to provide JetBlue at least 92 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over a five-year term starting in 2025. The SAF is from Fidelis’s Grön Fuels GigaSystem, which is designed to achieve negative lifecycle carbon intensity by integrating renewable feedstocks, biomass energy, and CCS. (Dec 2022)

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AIR FRANCE-KLM — Announced it has sourced 1.6 million tons (2 billion liters) of sustainable aviation fuel from Neste and DG Fuels as part of its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions per passenger/km by 30% by 2030 vs. 2019. Neste will provide a million tons from 2023 to 2030 and DG Fuels will supply 600,000 tons between 2027 and 2036. (Oct 2022)

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AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced its strategic equity investment in Universal Hydrogen, a company building a green hydrogen distribution and logistics network for aviation. This network uses “modular hydrogen capsules” that are handled like cargo, eliminating the need for airports to invest in new fueling infrastructure and speeding up the fueling process. Universal aims to start hydrogen deliveries for regional aircraft by 2025. (Oct 2022)

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SMBC AVIATION CAPITAL (SMBC) — The aircraft leasing company SMBC announced it will start offering its airline customers carbon credits aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in leasing contracts. SMBC is initially investing $53.3 million in energy efficient cookstove projects in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, which are certified by Verra and Gold Standard. (Sept 2022)

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AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced an investment in ZeroAvia, a company developing zero-emission hydrogen-electric jet powertrains. The companies also signed an MOU granting American the opportunity to purchase up to 100 powertrains to power its regional jet operations. (Aug 2022)

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AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced it has made an investment (amount not made public) in ZeroAvia, a company specializing in the development zero-emission aircraft powertrains. American and ZeroAvia have also signed a memorandum of understanding giving American the option to buy up to 100 of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines, the first of which are planned to enter service in regional flights “as early as the late 2020s.” (Aug 2022)

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AMERICAN AIRLINES / GEVO — Announced an agreement in which the airline will purchase 500 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biofuel company Gevo over five years. The agreement is American Airlines’ largest yet, bringing its total low-carbon fuel commitments to more than 620 million gallons—about 20% of the company’s goal of 10% SAF usage by 2030. Delivery of the fuel is expected to begin in 2026. (Aug 2021)

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AMERICAN AIRLINES / NESTE — Completed the first commercial delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certified to meet the Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) standards. American Airlines took possession of the fuel, produced by Neste, as part of a pilot project establish the certification process for production and delivery of SAF under CORSIA.  Neste-produced SAF is made from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials. It can be used as a drop-in replacement for traditional jet fuel, but emitting up to 80% less greenhouse gas over its life cycle. (July 2022)

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AIRBUS — Announced plans to open a new facility in the UK that will develop hydrogen-propulsion technologies for aircraft. The UK “Zero Emission Development Centre” (ZEDC) will prioritize the creation of a cost-competitive cryogenic fuel system utilizing liquid hydrogen, needed to realize Airbus’ goal of introducing a zero-emission commercial aircraft into service by 2035.  The UK ZEDC is expected to be fully operational in 2023, and flight testing is slated to begin in 2026. (May 2022)

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CATHAY PACIFIC — Announced the Corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Programme, calling it the first of its kind in Asia. Corporate customers can now reduce their carbon footprint from business travel or air freight by contributing to the use of sustainable fuel. (April 2022)

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QANTAS GROUP — The Australian national carrier outlined new interim targets to achieve net zero by 2050 as part of its new Qantas Group Climate Action Plan. Targets include (April 2022):

• Reduction of carbon emissions by 25% by 2030.
• Use of 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the Group’s fuel mix by 2030, and approximately 60% by 2050.
• Elimination of single-use plastics by 2027 and general waste (excluding quarantine waste) to landfills by 2030.
• Increase in fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2030 through aircraft fleet updates, using more efficient flight planning, and researching next-generation technologies.

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DHL EXPRESS — Announced two of the largest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) deals to date in which bp and Neste will provide DHL Express with 211 million gallons of SAF through 2026. These deals, which DHL estimates will save about 2 million tons of CO2 emissions, are part of parent company Deutsche Post DHL Group’s commitment to use 30% SAF blending to fuel all of its air transport by 2030. (March 2022)

Press Release | Edie

RYANAIR — Announced its decarbonization strategy, Pathway to Net Zero. The planned carbon reductions break down as follows (March 2022):

• 34% through the increased use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Ryanair is partnering with the EU and fuel suppliers to accelerate availability of SAFs and has partnered with Trinity College in Dublin to establish the Ryanair Sustainable Aviation Research Centre.
• 32% through technological and operational improvements.
• 24% through offsetting and other economic measures.
• 10% through the introduction of better air traffic management.

Ryanair  

VIRGIN ATLANTIC — Signed its first commercial supply agreement for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), wherein Neste Oyi will deliver 2,000 metric tons of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ to Virgin Atlantic at London Heathrow Airport during the first half of this year. ExxonMobil will manage the fuel’s delivery to the U.K. (Feb 2022)

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BOEING — Signed an agreement to buy 2 million gallons of EPIC Fuels’ blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from inedible agricultural waste—the largest announced SAF procurement by an airframer. The SAF will power Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes operations in Washington state and South Carolina through 2022, and EPIC Fuels will also continue supplying custom blends of 50-100% SAF for the Boeing ecoDemonstrator program. (Feb 2022)

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List of Business Action & Goals: Aviation, 2021-2019 (PDF)

Business Goals & Action: Shipping

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GOLD STANDARD — Introduced a new methodology aimed at reducing GHG emissions within the shipping sector, in partnership with A.P. Moller Maersk business venture Stillstrom. The methodology aims to promote using grid electricity and renewable energy when ships are at port or working offshore. (March 2024)

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Optimal fuel supply of green ammonia to decarbonise global shipping (Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability) — Assesses green ammonia’s potential as a viable solution to decarbonize global shipping, looking at green ammonia fuel demand across 1,360 ports. Finds that by targeting the largest ports first, “a substantial amount of shipping can be decarbonised.” (For example, targeting the largest 50 ports globally in terms of fuel demand would meet 46% of the cumulative green ammonia fuel demand.) Fuel production could also be regionalized, with green ammonia being produced near ports where solar (and to a smaller degree wind) resources are abundant. Total investment needed is estimated to be between $1.98 trillion and $2.25 trillion, with 92% of this on the supply side (vs. just 8% on the demand side). (Jan 2024)

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NESTLÉ — Announced agreements that shift the equivalent of half of its shipped cargo to lower emissions fuels, effective immediately. The agreements with shippers Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, and CMA CGM call for using fuels made from wastes for shipping Nestlé’s cargo. Nestlé says the new policy could reduce GHG emissions by around 200,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. (Dec 2023)

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INDITEX / MAERSK — Fashion retailer Inditex has partnered with Maersk to lower greenhouse gas emissions by incorporating alternative fuels in all of its inbound routes with the carrier through Maersk’s ECO Delivery Ocean program. (October 2023)

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CMA CGM / MAERSK — Unveiled a collaborative effort to reduce emissions from shipping by developing alternative greener fuels and aiding research into potential fuels like ammonia. The companies said they would develop high standards for green fuels; develop safety and bunkering standards for operation of green methanol vessels; accelerate readiness for bunkering and supply of bio/e-methanol at key ports; and explore R&D on alternative fuels. (Sept 2023)

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C2X — C2X, a new company backed by A.P. Moller Holding, unveiled plans to build large-scale green methanol production facilities in a bid to cut emissions from the shipping and chemicals sectors. The facility is expected to have an annual production capacity of more than three million tons by 2030. (Sept 2023)

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Mitsubishi Corporation’s 80,000-ton bulk carrier, Pyxis Ocean, finished it maiden voyage after the installation of two WindWings—large wing sails made of steel and composite-glass designed by BAR Technologies and built by Yara Marine Technologies. This innovation can cut fuel use by about 20% (with two sails, or 30% with three). The vessel, was chartered by Cargill, which plans to add sails to more vessels if the trial is successful. (Aug 2023)

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MSC GROUP — MSC Group’s cruise division announced plans to operate the industry’s first cruise with net zero greenhouse gas emissions. MSC Cruises will sail its new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered flagship from France to Denmark using 400 tons of bio-LNG (produced from waste). The ship also includes a series of energy efficiency measures to minimize fuel consumption. (June 2023)

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NIKE — Launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered inland container ship, H2 Barge 1, which will sail between Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Nike’s European Logistics Campus in Belgium beginning in June. Nike projects this zero-CO2-emissions vessel, which uses fuel cells and green hydrogen, will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,000 tons per year. It will also be quieter, reduce local air pollution, and reduce energy lost through vibrations and heat. (May 2023)

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MAERSK / CARBON SINK — Maersk and project developer Carbon Sink established a green methanol partnership. Carbon Sink will develop green methanol production facilities in the U.S., with the first being co-located with the existing Red River Energy bioethanol plant in South Dakota. This will have a production capacity of approximately 100,000 metric tons per year, with an anticipated start in 2027, and Maersk will purchase the full volume produced. (Nov 2022)

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MAERSK — Announced an order for six large ocean-going container vessels capable of being operated on carbon-neutral methanol, to be built by shipbuilding company Hyundai Heavy Industries. Each ship has a capacity of 17,000 containers and are to be delivered in 2025. Expected annual CO2 emissions reductions total 800,000 metric tons. This brings Maersk’s total order of vessels capable of running on methanol to 19. (Oct 2022)

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CARGILL / MAERSK / MISTUI — Are exploring the use of wind to reduce emissions and reach the shipping industry’s goal of reducing emissions of the global fleet by 50% of 2008 levels by 2050. By the end of 2022, 25 commercial vessels will use a wind-powered innovation like parafoil kites, rigid sails, or spinning rotors that create lift—a number that will nearly double to 49 by the end of 2023. A kite can reduce fuel costs and emissions by 20% annually, a rigid sail made of steel and composite glass by as much as 30%. There are currently 12 wind propulsion systems on the market, and as many as seven more available in 2023. This activity is being driven by fuel prices, emissions targets, and recognition that green fuels “aren’t likely to be available for shippers to use widely until after 2030.” (Aug 2022)

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CMA CGM — Announced it will stop transporting plastic waste on its vessels starting on June 1. (Feb 2022)

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MAERSK — Committed to doing the following by 2030:

• Reducing GHG emissions intensity of its ocean fleet by about 50% per transported container (aligned with a 1.5°C pathway)
• Reducing absolute GHG emissions from fully controlled terminals by about 70% (aligned with a 1.5°C pathway)
• Building a portfolio of natural climate solutions that will result in around 5 million tons of CO2 savings per year by 2030
• Using “green” fuels to transport 25% of all cargo
• Transporting at least 30% of cargo using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
• Having at least 90% “green operations” for contract logistics (warehouses and depots) and cold chain

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CHEVRON SHIPPING COMPANY — Joined the Sea Cargo Charter and committed to (Dec 2021): 

• Annually calculating its GHG emission intensity and total GHG emissions and assessing the “climate alignment” of its chartering activities using the charter methodology
• Annually publishing the climate-alignment scores of its eligible chartering activities
• Ensuring that new chartering activities are compliant on a contractual basis
• Using data types, data sources, and service providers identified by the charter for climate alignment calculations

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Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV)  — 9 multinational cargo owning companies, including CEF members Amazon and Unilever, signed the coZEV 2040 Ambition Statement pledging to exclusively use zero-emission ships to transport their cargo by 2040. Facilitated by the Aspen Institute, the companies called for “strong policy support to catalyze the broad scale industry transformation.” (Oct 2021)
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“Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization” — Over 150 stakeholders across the global maritime value chain sent a call to action urging governments to commit to decarbonizing international shipping by 2050, deploying commercially viable zero-emissions vessels by 2030, and delivering policies that make net-zero shipping emissions “the default choice” by 2030. The 150 stakeholders (which include CEF member Dow) were convened by the Getting to Zero Coalition (which includes CEF members Chevron Shipping, Honeywell, and Unilever). (Sept 2021)
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The International Chamber of Shipping / Intercargo — Jointly proposed a global levy on ship carbon emissions to the UN International Maritime Organization, wherein ships that trade globally and exceed 5,000 gross tons would contribute based on each ton of emissions. Collected money would go into a climate fund to deploy infrastructure for cleaner fuel supply at ports around the world. (Sept 2021)
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MAERSCK — Announced it ordered 8 ocean-going container vessels capable of running on carbon-neutral green methanol (defined as methanol produced using renewable sources). They are estimated to save 1 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. (Aug 2021)
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MAERSCK — Signed a deal with REintegrate to secure nearly 10,000 tons of carbon-neutral green methanol (defined as methanol produced using renewable sources), in preparation for operating what it says will be the world’s first container vessel running on carbon-neutral fuel in 2023. (Aug 2021)
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MSC GROUP — The Swiss-based shipping group is joining forces with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and gas group Snam to conduct a 12-month study on the feasibility of building a hydrogen-powered cruise ship, which would be the first of its kind. (Aug 2021)
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MICHELIN — Unveiled its Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) system: an automated, inflatable sail that aims to boost cargo-ship efficiency and decreases overall vessel fuel consumption by an estimated 20%, reducing CO2 emissions. The company expects production in 2022 and will test a 100-square-foot sail on a merchant ship that year. (July 2021)
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CMA CGM — The French shipping and logistics company announced 10% of its energy supplies would be alternative fuels by 2023. (June 2021)
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STENA BULK — Committed to becoming a net-zero business by 2050 and set 5 interim decarbonization targets, including ensuring every new ship in its fleet has a roadmap to carbon-neutral status by 2030 and becoming a fully carbon-neutral tanker operator by 2040. (April 2021)

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A.P. Moller - Maersk announced plans to launch the world’s first carbon-neutral liner vessel in 2023, seven years ahead of its initial 2030 ambition. The company is targeting a carbon-neutral fleet by 2050. (February 2021)

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Shipping and ferry company Stena Line announced plans to operate two fossil-free battery-powered vessels no later than 2030. The vessels will be the first fossil-free versions of their type and size, able to carry 1,000 passengers roughly 50 nautical miles.

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Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund announced an investment in Sacramento-based startup Infinium to support decarbonization efforts in the transportation sector. Infinium converts CO2 and hydrogen feedstocks into net-zero carbon fuels (“eletrofuels”), which can be used in existing air transport, marine freight, and heavy truck fleets. (January 2021)

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A group of 15 financial companies that are signed on to the Poseidon Principles — including BNP Paribas, Citi, and ING — published their Annual Disclosure Report. This first-of-its-kind, sector-specific report assesses whether signatories' ship finance portfolios align with the climate goals set out by the International Maritime Organization. (Jan 2021)  MORE »

Mobility: Market Trends and Scenarios

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Pegasus Guidelines for the Aviation Sector (RMI) — This first-of-its-kind voluntary climate-aligned finance framework for the aviation sector is designed to help banks independently measure and disclose the emissions intensity and/or the climate alignment of their aviation lending portfolios compared to a 1.5°C scenario. It is compatible with the Net-Zero Banking Alliance’s guidelines and will be utilized by seven banks (five of which cooperated with the framework’s development), and two additional banks will test implementation of the methodology. (April 2024)

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Travel Smart Ranking: 2024 edition (Transport & Environment) — Grades 328 U.S., European, and Indian companies on corporate flying, including air travel emissions, reduction targets, and reporting. Only 16 companies received an A grade, 40 received a B, 230 a C, and 42 a D. 17% (57 companies) have set a public target to reduce business travel emissions (and just 12 companies have committed to reduce air travel specifically). 25 of the largest flyers without a target made up 36% of all business travel emissions from the 328 companies in the ranking. 44 companies reported the full climate impact of their business flying, including non-CO2 emissions. And five companies met the “gold standard,” reporting emissions and committing to their absolute reduction of 50% or more by 2025 or sooner. (March 2024)

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Decarbonizing Last-Mile Delivery: A Courier-Centered Modal Shift Study (Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)) — Provides policy solutions that local governments, app-based delivery platforms, and community-based organizations can use to accelerate the electrification and modal shift of on-demand last-mile deliveries (LMDs), based on quantitative and qualitative research. A successful transition will need to focus on three areas: 1) reducing upfront costs for couriers to make the transition, 2) increasing access to charging and battery swapping, and 3) addressing road safety concerns through built environment enhancements and courier safety education. The report also provides specific ways the three stakeholders can take action to scale zero-emissions LMD. (Jan 2024)

Reducing Black Carbon: A Triple Win for Climate, Health, and Well-being (Project Drawdown) — Provides a comprehensive look at how to address black carbon (soot), which has a short-term warming potential up to 1,500 times greater than CO2. The report identifies black carbon hotspots both by location and sector, and finds that 48% of black carbon emissions come from the residential sector, from the use of solid fuels for home heating and cooking. Transportation accounts for 24% and industry 12%. The report explores solutions, including the involvement of private sector investment. (Nov 2023)
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Electric Vehicle adoption is correlated with political ideology, according to a new analysis by the Energy Institute at Haas. In the U.S., about half of all EV purchases occurred in the 10% most Democratic counties, and about one-third went to the top 5% (between 2012 and 2022). This finding remains statistically significant even when controlling for other factors, such as Democratic areas being denser, higher-income, and having higher gasoline taxes. The paper notes there is “relatively little evidence” that this correlation has decreased, and “even some specifications that point to increasing correlation,” which may pose difficulty in broadening levels of EV adoption in the U.S. (Oct 2023)

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The shipping industry is not on track to use 5% scalable zero emission fuel (SZEF) by 2030 (the threshold to rapidly scale the uptake of these fuels), according to a new report. SZEF production currently in the pipeline could cover just a quarter of the fuel needed to deliver this goal. The trajectory for orders for SZEF ships is also not on track, with just 24 ships currently running on SZEF and 144 on order (mostly with methanol capability), which could create about 30-50% of potential SZEF demand by 2025. (October 2023)

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Electric Vehicles (EVs) could surpass two-thirds of global car sales by 2030, reducing oil demand by nearly half, says new research from RMI. Falling EV prices are driving sales. EVs could account for 62% to 86% of global car sales by 2030, with China potentially having an EV market share of at least 90%. (Sept 2023)

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Shipping Decarbonization Report Card (Ship It Zero) — Evaluates major retailers and shipping carriers on their commitment to rapid decarbonization and development of zero-emission fuels for maritime shipping. The report found that very few retailers are taking meaningful action, with only three even reporting on their maritime emissions. And all but one carrier have only committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 and all were relying on liquefied natural gas or scrubbers instead of shifting to low-emission fuels. The report scores both retailers and carriers’ efforts. Of the 18 retailers, all but one, IKEA, scored an overall D or F. IKEA scored a B+, for its efforts to address its air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from its operations and transportation through its supply chain. Of 10 carriers, 7 scored a D or F. Two scored a C, and one, Maersk, received a B, particularly for its efforts to reduce port pollution and commit to carbon neutrality by 2040. (Aug 2023)

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Shipping GHG Emissions 2030 (CE Delft) — The global shipping industry can reduce emissions by 28-47% by 2030, compared to 2008 levels, by deploying wind-assist technologies, optimizing the speed of ships for emissions reductions (after taking into account fleet expansion to provide same amount of work), and by deriving 5-10% of energy from zero-GHG fuels. This could avoid cumulative emissions of 500-1,000 megatons of CO2 equivalent. About half of emissions savings would come from lower speeds and other operational measures, a quarter from wind-assisted propulsion and other technical measures, and a quarter from fuel shifts. Associated costs would add between 6-14% to the total cost of shipping operations (relative to business as usual). (July 2023)

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Long-Term Electric Vehicle Outlook 2023 (BloombergNEF (BNEF)) — Reports that EV sales are up by 60% globally in 2022 and by more than 200% in India and Southeast Asia. Sales of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles totaled more than 10 million units, battery-electrics selling at more than twice the level of hybrids. Fuel cell electric vehicles sold only 16,000 units, two-thirds in South Korea. EVs accounted for 3% of van and truck sales, 14% of passenger cars, 38% of buses, and 49% of two-and three-wheelers. Long-range (more than 400 km) EV models are proliferating: China, the world leader in long-range, offers 141 long range EV trims (model variants) compared to six in 2018. The report estimates oil demand for road transport could peak by 2027 and emissions by 2029. Policies are needed on heavy commercial vehicles, streamlining charging infrastructure, and building out the battery supply chain. (June 2023)

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Airlines can reduce aviation emissions by up to 70% by 2050 by improving engine and aircraft efficiency, adopting sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and optimizing aircraft operations, according to a study from Bain & Company. But this might not be enough to achieve Net Zero by 2050, especially if air traffic grows faster than GDP. SAF in 2050 will remain 2-4 times more expensive than the historical average of jet fuel. This and other efforts to decarbonize will erode airlines’ profit margins. Hydrogen and electric propulsion will reduce less than 5% of 2050 aviation emissions, given the time required for these technologies to mature. One measure to further reduce emissions is to raise tickets, which if implemented in 2026, could reduce 3.5% of forecasted global demand by 2030. (June 2023)

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Distribution System Investments to Enable Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Electrification (Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)) — Finds that U.S. utilities covering the cost of infrastructure upgrades needed for fleet charging can increase utilities' revenue without raising consumers’ electricity rates. The study uses two New York State utilities as case studies and finds that if utilities cover the “make-ready” cost for both private and municipal fleets, the investment will pay off for utilities and have a positive to neutral impact on ratepayers in both utility service areas. The two case studies, being very different in grid costs and demand profiles, suggests these results can be applied to states across the U.S. (April 2023)

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Target True Zero: Delivering the Infrastructure for Battery and Hydrogen-Powered Flight (World Economic Forum) — Global demand for hydrogen and electric aircraft could require 600-1,700 terawatt hours of clean energy by 2050. With first battery and hydrogen-powered passenger flights potentially starting around 2025, the first elements of airport infrastructure will need to be in place by then. The research also finds that this shift will require between $700 billion and $1.7 trillion in capital investments. It also highlights other findings for airlines and airports to meet the demand for alternative propulsion aircraft by 2050, including (April 2023):

• Large airports could consume 5-10 times more electricity;
• Airports have enough space for storage infrastructure but not enough land to generate enough clean energy;
• The aviation industry will need to partner with other industries to secure enough green electricity and hydrogen in a supply-constrained environment and help shape the future of the hydrogen ecosystem.

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2023 Travel Smart Ranking (Transport & Environment) — 85% of global companies (272 out of 322 assessed) do not have credible plans to reduce corporate travel emissions, according to this second annual business travel ranking. Of the companies that have credible targets, only four companies received the “gold standard”, i.e. report air travel emissions and commit to reducing them by 50% or more by 2025 or sooner. The report does find that 40 companies (12%) are now reporting all greenhouse gas emissions associated with corporate flights. (March 2023)

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$120 billion has been invested in EV-related manufacturing over the past eight years in the U.S., according to new analysis by EDF. 42% of investments occurred since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) six months ago. Total new jobs announced equaled 143,000 with 46,400 of those after the IRA. 86% of total investments occurred in 10 states with Michigan and Tennessee tied for first. Total battery manufacturing capacity has grown by a factor of ten between 2021 and 2023. (March 2023)

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Envisioning Tourism in 2030 and Beyond (The Travel Foundation) — Models the impact of different tourism interventions, including technological advances, electrification, and alternative fuels, with the goal of providing a positive vision of tourism that achieves net-zero by 2050. Some shifts include replacing longer flights with shorter ones, shifting from flying to rail, electric cars, buses, and ferries, and, when traveling further, doing so less often but staying longer. The report also calls for incorporating international aviation emissions in NDCs (nationally determined contributions) or longest-haul flights could quadruple by 2050 (and account for 41% of tourism’s emissions). (March 2023)

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EV100 — The Climate Group launched a Progress and Insights Report detailing the growth of electric vehicles worldwide, and the number of groups in the coalition. Since starting five years ago, the total number of businesses participating has grown from 10 to 127. Total reported EVs put on the road by EV100 members grew to over 404,000 — an increase of 93% in the past 12 months. By 2030, EV businesses will collectively transition over 5.75 million vehicles to electric. EV100 members have also rolled out 30,182 individual charging units across 72 markets and have committed to install infrastructure at 6,443 sites globally by the end of the decade. Its five launch members have also committed to transition over 90,000 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to zero emissions in OECD markets, China, and India. (Feb 2023)

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Digging Deeper into How Temperature and Speed Impact EV Range (Geotab) — This interactive analysis examines the impact of speed and temperature on electric vehicle (EV) range, using data from 3 million EV trips and 550,000 hours of driving time. Key conclusions include (Feb 2023):

• The speed at which vehicles drive influences the relative impact of temperature. At low speeds, temperature can significantly affect range, and at higher speeds, temperature becomes much less relevant.
• The size and shape of the vehicle also influence the optimal conditions to maximize EV range, and larger vehicles lose range more quickly with increased speed.
• These conclusions reveal that to best optimize EV range, one should consider the context of the trip.

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The Moving World Report: 2023 Macro and Micro Trends in Mobility (UP.Partners) — Explores innovations and market dynamics affecting the transportation of goods and people globally. Key insights include (Feb 2023):

• Mobility venture capital (VC) has seen a 30-fold increase in funding since 2013;
• Last mile and electric vehicles (EVs) made up almost 50% of funding in mobility VC since 2020;
• 38% of climate tech/sustainability related investments were made in mobility related companies;
• Raw material shortages for batteries are affecting prices (with the Lithium price index up almost 800% from 2020-2022) and will affect carmakers’ abilities to meet EV targets;
• The U.S. electrical grid is not well prepared to take the additional electric load of EVs at scale;
• While electric aviation is developing, sustainable aviation fuel will be required as a “bridge technology.”

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Polestar and Rivian Pathway Report (Polestar and Rivian) — Vehicle electrification is not enough to prevent the automotive industry from overshooting the IPCC’s 1.5°C pathway. This new report finds that the industry will fully spend its CO2 equivalent budget by 2035 without urgent action. The report offers three levers, which if applied together, could get the industry on track to no overshoot by 2050 (Feb 2023):

• Accelerating the speed at which fossil fuel-powered cars are replaced by electric cars, including investing in manufacturing capabilities and implementing a firm end date to global fossil fuel car sales;
• Increasing renewable energy in power grids to facilitate green EV charging;
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing supply chain, by both switching to low carbon materials and investing in renewable energy solutions.

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Mapping electric vehicle impacts: greenhouse gas emissions, fuel costs, and energy justice in the United States (Environmental Research Letters) — Compares EVs to vehicles with internal combustion engines for three major areas: GHG emissions, fuel costs, and transportation energy burden (i.e. percentage of income spent on vehicle fuels but not the vehicle). The results found that over 90% of vehicle-owning U.S. households would see reductions in both GHGs and transportation energy burden by adopting an EV, with 60% having moderate to high savings in both emissions (greater than 2.3 metric tons of CO2 equivalent) and energy burden. However, over half of the lowest income households would still have a high EV energy burden (greater than 4% of income spent on fuel annually), and if at-home charging is unavailable, this rises to over 75% (as costs at public chargers is higher). This can be combated with three major interventions: policies to provide subsidized charging infrastructure in lower-income communities; strategies to reduce electricity costs; and expanded access to low-carbon transportation infrastructure, such as public transit, biking, and car sharing. (Feb 2023)

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Analyzing the Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Electric Vehicle Uptake in the United States (The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) — Found that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, along with state policies, will significantly accelerate the electrification of all on-road vehicles in the U.S., but that the U.S. will still miss its nationally determined contribution (NDC) target. The analysis found that EV sales share in the U.S. will reach 56-67% in the light duty sector and 44-52% in the heavy duty sector by 2032, the final year of the IRA credits. The report also found that with the IRA, the EPA can set more stringent federal light- and heavy-duty vehicle greenhouse gas standards than would have been possible otherwise, at lower cost and higher benefit to consumers and manufacturers. However, to meet climate goals, policies would need to drive electrification rates significantly higher than 50% by 2030 for light-duty vehicles and above 40% by 2030 for heavy-duty vehicles. (Feb 2023)

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Technical Report: The SBTi Interim 1.5°C Sector Pathway for Aviation (Science Based Targets initiative) — Details a robust and credible interim pathway for aviation companies to set 1.5°C-aligned targets, in line with industry expectations for technology deployment and airline traffic. This interim pathway will be used until updated sector guidance is developed in consultation with an Expert Advisory Group and public consultation. (Note that targets set using the interim pathway before the update is released will remain valid.) (Feb 2023)

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New planned electric vehicle battery plants will increase North America’s battery manufacturing capacity from 55 Gigawatt-hours per year (GWh/year) in 2021 to nearly 1,000 GWh/year by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Much of these facilities will come online between 2025 and 2030, and by 2030 will support the manufacture of between 10 and 13 million electric vehicles per year. However, two Chinese companies made up 50.7% of the global EV battery market (226 GWh) in the first 11 months of 2022, according to new reporting from Bloomberg. (Jan 2023)

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Sustainable Aviation Fuels: The Key to Decarbonizing Aviation (Rhodium Group) — Provides an overview of the current state of the industry and SAF technologies, as well as an estimate for the employment and economic benefits from scaling up SAF (through an analysis of jobs created in constructing and operating a 50 million gallon/year facility). As the report notes, SAF is 3-5 times more expensive than conventional jet fuel and therefore needs more investment and policy support. Feedstock limitations are also a hurdle for scaling up the adoption of advanced biofuel SAFs. (Dec 2022)

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A new report by Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, based on survey responses from 14 entities, including governments, oil companies, investment banks and others, explores the growth in the electric vehicle (EV) market. Key findings from the forecasts include (Dec 2022):

• EV market penetration in passenger car sales in 2030 range from 11-63%, and in 2050, range from 31% to nearly 100%, depending on the varying degrees of anticipated carbon constraints;
• Forecasters generally cited government policies as a key driver of EV penetration. Technological development and market maturation were also potential drivers;
• China is expected to lead EV penetration in medium- to long-term forecasts;
• Most forecasts show passenger vehicle global oil demand peaking at or before 2030;
• Light-duty commercial trucks have the highest forecasts for EV penetration of all truck classes.

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Zero-Emission Vehicles Factbook (BloombergNEF) — Documents the progress that has been made towards global net zero in the road transport sector, including (Nov 2022):

• Annual passenger electric vehicle (EV) sales are on track for around 10.6 million units in 2022, up from 6.6 million in 2021, and 3.1 million in 2020;
• 13.2% of new cars sold globally in the first half of 2022 were electric, up from 8.7% in 2021, and 4.3% in 2020;
• Global lithium-ion battery manufacturing capacity has increased 38% since 2021;
• Automakers have collectively committed to sell around 43 million EVs per year by 2030, and automakers with planned phase-outs of combustion engines now account for 30% of the global auto market;
• However, EV sales are still below 10% in over half the global car market, and the shift to zero-emissions vehicles will require national, regional, and local governments to continue raising ambition and implementing stable, long-term policies that encourage EV growth and manage the phase-out of polluting vehicles.

Annual Progress Report on Green Shipping Corridors 2022 (Global Maritime Forum and Getting to Zero Coalition) — This first annual progress report evaluates the size, nature, and performance of the global portfolio of green corridor initiatives; the amount and nature of national policy and regulation emerging to support these initiatives; and the overall momentum behind the movement. The report identifies more than 20 green corridor initiatives across the Transpacific, Asia Pacific and Transatlantic regions, Europe, and North and South America since the Clydebank Declaration for green shipping corridors was implemented at COP26. (Nov 2022)

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With automakers ramping up production of electric vehicles, planned investment in new facilities in the U.S. to produce lithium-ion batteries exceeds $40 billion. 15 facilities have been announced since 2021, with all but one of them exceeding 10 gigawatt hours of capacity, according to a new Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas analysis. Most of these facilities have been concentrated in the Midwest and South, due to transportation costs, according to the analysis. While investment in other parts of the supply chain, including mining and producing battery materials, are more limited, provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that prohibit minerals from “foreign entities of concern” may create incentives to boost investment there. (Oct 2022)

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Global Hydrogen Flows: Hydrogen Trade as a Key Enabler for Efficient Decarbonization (Hydrogen Council and McKinsey) — More than 60% of the 660 million metric tons (MMT) of hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives needed for carbon neutrality by 2050 will be transported over long distances, with almost half of that (190 MMT) crossing international borders. Of the 400 MMT transported, 230 MMT will be pure hydrogen, and 170 MMT in the form of derivatives including synthetic fuels, ammonia, and sponge iron. The study also identifies more than 40 prospective trade routes for hydrogen with the capacity to transport more than one million tons per year by ship or pipeline and estimates that trade can lower the cost of the hydrogen supply by 25%, or as much as $6 trillion from now until 2050. (Oct 2022)

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Demand for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) is projected to grow to 7 billion gallons, 5% of global jet fuel demand, by 2030, according to BloombergNEF’s (BNEF) Economic Transition Scenario, which assumes changes are driven by techno-economic trends and market forces and no new policies are enacted. In BNEF’s Accelerated Policy Scenario, demand is projected to reach 10.6 billion gallons (7.5% of demand). Currently, SAF supply remains scarce and highly concentrated among a few producers, though multiple projects to bring new capacity online are planned for the next five years, which if enacted could bring SAF capacity to at least 2.6 billion gallons annually by 2026.  (Sept 2022)

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Peer-reviewed research in a new book about energy transition presents an analysis of the interplay between passenger EV uptake and gas/diesel vehicle phase-out in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and 2°C scenarios.  The key findings:

• Alignment with 1.5C rise will require phasing out sales of gas/diesel vehicles in 2025 and decreasing the avg. lifespan of those in service from 16 years to 9.
• Alignment with 2°C rise will require phasing out gas/diesel vehicle sales by at least 50% by 2035 and 100% by 2049, assuming the current gas/diesel vehicle lifetime of 16 years.

The authors note that both scenarios, but particularly the 1.5° scenario, will require not only accelerating replacement with EVs but additional strategies like incentives to reduce driving demand. (Aug 2021)

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Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) — Added energy transition strategies for the aviation, trucking, and shipping sectors—which together account for about 10% of global carbon emissions—to its suite of decarbonization pathway reports for hard-to-abate sectors. Key takeaways include (July 2022):

• In aviation, the amount of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) needed will require a 5–6-fold increase in the current SAF project pipeline by 2030. 
• To compensate for a projected doubling of trucking demand in major industrialized countries by 2050, MPP forecasts a need for about 10 million zero-emission trucks, 1.8-2.5 million EV chargers, and 1,000-19,000 hydrogen stations in service by 2030.
• Projected increases in demand for zero-emission fuels in shipping could de-risk business cases for investment in green hydrogen production.

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A US survey conducted by Consumer Reports provides a snapshot of Americans’ perspectives and concerns regarding the transportation industry’s impact on the environment and their willingness to make environmentally friendly transportation choices such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and sustainable fuels. Key findings include (July 2022):

• Only 2% of Americans currently own a battery electric vehicle (BEV), though 3% have in the past.
• Current EV owners (51%) are more likely than past EV owners (36%) or those who have never owned an EV (26%) to say reducing their impact on the environment is one of the most important factors influencing their vehicle purchase/lease decisions. 
• 36% indicated they would “definitely” or “seriously consider” buying or leasing an electric-only vehicle, while 28% would not consider it.
• The top three barriers to purchasing or leasing an electric-only vehicle are charging logistics (61%), charge range (55%), and costs (52%).
• Cost-related factors are also the most desirable attributes of an EV with about 3 in 10 Americans citing lower fueling costs, lower costs over a vehicle’s lifetime, including maintenance. 
• 46% of Americans were unaware of EV incentives, with around half indicating they would be influenced by “tax rebates/discounts at the time of purchase or lease” (53%) and/or “discounts to install a home charger” (49%).
• 67% would likely use low carbon fuel in their personal vehicle if the cost per gallon was the same as the cost for traditional fuel.
• Only 11% of those surveyed had heard about the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in airplanes before taking the survey, though a third indicated they would be ‘very likely’ to choose a flight on a plane that uses low carbon fuel if other costs were the same.

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Electric Vehicle Outlook 2022 (Bloomberg NEF) — Examines how electrification, shared mobility, autonomous driving, and other developments will likely impact on-road transportation, related markets, and CO2 emissions over the next 30 years. Researchers explored global EV adoption under two broad scenarios: 1) "economic transition," driven largely by innovations and market forces rather than new policies, and 2) a net-zero-by-2050 pathway for the road transportation sector. Findings include (June 2022):

• Peak internal combustion vehicle sales seem to have passed.
• There are now almost 20 million passenger EVs, 1.3 commercial EVs, and 280 million 2- and 3-wheel EVs on the road globally.
• The global electric passenger fleet needs to be 612 million vehicles by 2035 for the net-zero path, but the "economic transition" model predicts only about 470 million. “Much of the gap will have to be met in emerging economies."
• Most of the biggest manufacturers are already aiming more than half their capital expenditures and R&D in EVs and digital efforts.
• BNEF anticipates there will be at least $1 trillion of investment in EV charging networks by 2040 to construct and install 339 million charging connections in scenario 1. To reach net zero, charging infrastructure will need more than $1.4 trillion for just under half a billion chargers.
• Road transport is not on track for carbon neutrality by 2050, despite the rapid rise in EV adoption. A full range of solutions, including more public transit, and active transport options, will be needed.

Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2022 (International Energy Agency (IEA)) — Identifies and analyzes recent developments in electric mobility. Key findings include (May 2022):

• Sales of electric cars doubled in 2021 to a record 6.6 million. More EVs are now sold each week than in the entirety of 2012.
• 16.5 million EVs were on the world’s roads by the end of 2021, triple the amount in 2018.
• 10% of all cars sold worldwide in 2021 were electric, but electric models made up just 0.3% of global truck sales. This share needs to increase to around 10% by 2030 to align with climate goals. To meet the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, it needs to be 25% by 2030.
• Continued strong EV sales face two main short-term obstacles: Increased prices for critical minerals essential for battery manufacturing, and supply chain disruptions caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine and continued COVID-19 lockdowns in some parts of China.
• The price of lithium, a crucial mineral for car batteries, increased sevenfold from January 2021 to May 2022; prices for cobalt and nickel also rose. All else being equal, this could raise the cost of car batteries by 15%. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created further pressures, since Russia supplies 20% of global battery-grade nickel.

More than half of car buyers say they want their next car to be an EV, according to research from Ernst & Young. The firm’s annual Mobility Consumer Index survey, which polled 13,000 people in 18 countries, indicated 52% of respondents looking to buy a car want an EV, an increase of 22 percentage points in two years. Buyers in Italy (73%), China (69%) and South Korea (63%) showed the most interest, while EV enthusiasm was lower in Australia (38%) and the U.S. (29%). Researchers call it a “tipping point in the global car-buying market.” (May 2022)

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Electrifying Trucking: The Case for Ambitious Federal Emissions Standards and Policies (Ceres) — Reasons that electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles(MHDVs) increasingly makes economic sense for manufacturers and suppliers, but strong federal policies will be needed to execute the transition fast enough to meet climate goals. The report finds that moving industries toward the use of electric MHDVs will benefit (May 2022): 

• Fleet owners, through long-term savings on fuel and maintenance.
• Forward-thinking parts suppliers, as the demand for critical components for electric vehicles increases. 
• Manufacturers, through increased production and technological improvements, which will provide cost savings and higher profit margins. 

The report advocates for the implementation of the following policies: 

• Federal zero-emission manufacturing and fleet purchase requirements. 
• Public financial support for charging infrastructure costs. 
• Public financial support for targeted purchase incentives.

State of Sustainable Fleets: Market Brief 2022 (Gladstein, Neandross & Associates) — Provides an updated analysis of major clean transportation trends and key takeaways of 2021. The report focuses on four clean vehicle fuel technologies in the U.S.: propane, compressed natural gas, electric batteries, and hydrogen fuel cells. Key findings include (May 2022):

• Nearly 85% of surveyed fleets that are early adopters of alternative vehicles intend to grow their use, for a third consecutive year. 
• Among these early adopters, 53% have already piloted or purchased battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and 67% intend to order BEVs in the next year.
• During the next five years, public funding for clean fuels and vehicles will grow to nearly $20 billion. 
• By 2025, U.S. capacity for renewable diesel is forecasted to exceed 5 billion gallons per year, enough to support 10% of the country’s current diesel demand. 
• From 2020 to 2021, renewable natural gas production (RNG) capacity increased by 24%, enabling the U.S. to produce enough RNG to replace nearly 574 million gallons of diesel annually. 
• The cost of heavy-duty vehicle batteries is double the price of light-duty batteries because of low production volumes.
• No commercial fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) made their way to customers in 2021, but FCEV orders across transit and heavy-duty tractor segments have quadrupled.

Electric vehicles displaced roughly 1.5 million barrels per day of oil last year—more than doubling displacement in the last six years—according to a new Zero-Emission Vehicles Progress Dashboard from BloombergNEF. Total transportation fuel demand was 43.7 million barrels per day last year, the firm said. Two- and three-wheeled EVs, primarily in Asia, account for 67% of the oil demand avoided in 2021, while electric buses and passenger vehicles were responsible for 16% and 13%, respectively. (May 2022)

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New analysis from The Niskanen Center (“the Center”), an open society think tank, suggests the current flat federal subsidy for EVs should be replaced with a sliding scale model based on buyers’ prior fuel consumption. Doing so would spur EV growth where it’s needed the most—among the 10% of US drivers who account for a third of gas use. These “Super Users” (credit: Coltura) are, in aggregate, low- to middle-income owners of relatively inefficient vehicles (e.g., large pickup trucks) who drive high annual miles. By contrast, current EV sales are weighted toward “Super Progressives”—affluent liberals who drive relatively low annual miles in relatively efficient vehicles. Shifting EV subsidies to favor “Super Users” over “Super Progressives,” the Center says, would (May 2022): 

• Deliver far greater emissions reduction per subsidy dollar.
• Normalize EV ownership across socio-economic and political lines.
• Protect lower-income Americans from high gas prices.
• Incentivize automakers to expand their range of EV offerings.

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The impact of electric vehicles on climate change (ICF Climate Center) — Models the US decarbonization potential of six progressively aggressive scenarios linking EV policy and energy policy at the national and state levels. The report also provides top-line recommendations for public planners, policymakers, and utility leaders at all levels. Key takeaways include (May 2022):

• Current state-level EV policies would only lead to a 27% reduction in national on-road GHG emissions (2020 baseline) by 2050—far from the levels needed to align with a net-zero US economy in the same time frame.
• To maximize the decarbonization potential of high EV adoption rates, the increased energy demand on the electricity grid must be met with renewable sources; Rapid EV adoption could add a 40% increase in annual energy demand by 2050, which could dramatically impact grid reliability without careful planning.
• Only about a third of states have aggressive EV goals. All states need them to have any chance of achieving a net-zero or near-net-zero transportation sector by 2050.
• Accelerating EV adoption and maximizing the societal health benefits of reduced emissions requires a focus on equity; Expanding access to EVs and charging centers, and transitioning to electrified public transit, in low-income areas—especially dense urban centers—should be key considerations.

Two separate new analyses by and illustrate the significant recent growth of EVs in the marketplace (April 2022):

• BloombergNEF estimates that over 20 million plug-in EVs will be on the road globally by June, compared to just 1 million in 2016.
• A new ERM report estimates carmakers globally will spend over $515 billion through 2030 to develop EV passenger models, with over 100 of those models to cost less than $100,000 by mid-decade.

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Zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks are projected to cost the same or less than diesel trucks by 2035, according to a new US Department of Energy study. Battery electric trucks are expected to be cost-competitive for smaller trucks by 2030, and hydrogen fuel cell EVs are expected to be cost-competitive for long-haul heavy-duty trucks with over a 500-mile range by 2035. (March 2022)

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The share of EVs in Europe is projected to grow from fewer than 5 million today to 65 million by 2030 and 130 million by 2035, according to an EY and Eurelectric report. An estimated 65 million chargers will be needed by 2035, which could require $134 billion in infrastructure investment, increase electricity demand by 30% annually, and increase peak grid load from 21-90%. (Feb 2022)

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CEVA EV roadmap for vehicle manufacturers (Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance) — A new roadmap to help vehicle manufacturers develop the types of EVs that companies plan to acquire in the U.S. over the next five years. Recommendations cover key areas—battery preference, charging location flexibility, sedans, and desired vehicle specifications—and are based on a new Ceres analysis of an internal CEVA survey. (Jan 2022)

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"[T]he passenger EV market is shifting from one driven by policy to one driven by organic consumer demand," according to BloombergNEF’s 2022 outlook for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Global sales of electric passenger vehicles are projected to exceed 10.5 million this year (about 4 million above 2021 levels), including a 75% increase in zero-emission commercial delivery van and truck sales. The top three markets are projected to be China (over 50% of sales), Europe (30%), and the U.S. (Jan 2022)

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2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study (Deloitte) — Identifies consumer opinions toward issues impacting the automotive sector, including technology development, EVs, purchase experience, and transportation modes. Key trends among 26,000 consumer responses across 25 countries (Jan 2022):

• Consumers still have a limited willingness to pay for advanced technologies
• Most consumers, including 69% of US consumers, still prefer an ICE powertrain for their next vehicle
• Interest in EVs is driven by lower running costs and a better driving experience
• Driving range and lack of available charging infrastructure are barriers to adoption
• Many still prefer in-person purchase experiences
• Personal vehicles are still preferred over shared mobility

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List of Mobility: Market Trends & Scenarios, 2021-2019 (PDF)

Zero-Emission Mobility & Fuels Tools

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SAFc Registry (RMI) The sustainable aviation fuel certificate (SAFc) registry connects corporate demand for verifiable emissions reductions with SAF producers, through an auditable ledger for certificates. RMI says the registry’s transparent design helps ensure that the SAF certificates exchanged realize their intended environmental impact and can be claimed towards emissions reduction goals. This, along with strong standards, accounting guidelines and structured RFPs, is a key piece of market infrastructure needed to create a robust market for SAFc investment. (Dec 2023)

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EV Jobs Hub (BlueGreen Alliance Foundation and Atlas Public Policy) — This new data visualization tool examines the scope of electric vehicle (EV) investments in the U.S. It enables policymakers, advocates, and the public to see where new EV manufacturing jobs are being announced, if those jobs will be union, and if the investments are being made in disadvantaged communities. The hub also provides facility-level data including: assembly of various vehicle classes; manufacturing of components; and battery production, recycling, and EV charging manufacturing. (Sept 2023)

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Electric Vehicle Batteries: A Guidebook for Responsible Corporate Engagement Throughout the Supply Chain (Ceres) — Highlights how corporate advocacy and procurement practices within the EV battery supply chain can have the greatest impact in shaping a responsible electric vehicle (EV) industry. The guidebook recommends that (Sept 2023): 

• Fleet owners and vehicle manufacturers prioritize battery minerals sourced from Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)-certified mining operators and advocate for U.S mining reform that includes the remediation of abandoned mines and the implementation of royalties for local communities. 
• Fleet owners and vehicle manufacturers prioritize EVs and batteries designed for second-life use and recyclability. Manufacturers should also participate in extended producer responsibility initiatives and establish partnerships for second-life usage and recycling. 
• Companies use manufacturers engaged in the Global Battery Alliance's Battery Passport initiative and encourage suppliers to do the same. Companies should also advocate for federal policies that establish standardized EV battery labeling and traceability mechanisms. 

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Shipping Industry Emissions Insights (London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and Siglar Carbon) — LSEG and Siglar Carbon, a maritime emissions analytics company, announced an agreement to enable customers to evaluate the different carbon options for cargo programs via LSEG’s tool Workspace. This will combine Siglar’s emissions insights with LSEG’s European carbon markets and industry emissions analytics to help charterers, traders, brokers and ship owners to understand, predict and improve the carbon impacts of commercial shipping decisions. The data will allow them to locate the most carbon efficient alternative and reduce the related carbon cost exposure. (Aug 2023)

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SAF Dashboard (Boeing) — This tool tracks expected sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) capacity over the next decade. Based on data collected by BloombergNEF, the Dashboard aggregates total SAF capacity announcements by suppliers on a global scale and can filter anticipated supply by production pathway, location, and other metrics. The dashboard also includes a map to compare SAF with total jet fuel consumption. (June 2023)

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Cascade Climate Impact Model (Boeing) — Boeing released this new data modeling tool to identify the effects of a range of sustainability solutions to reduce aviation's carbon emissions. Cascade examines the full life cycle of alternate energy sources for aviation (from production through distribution and use) and quantifies the ability to cut aviation's carbon emissions. Data modeling also measures airplane fleet renewal, operational efficiency, renewable energy sources, future aircraft and market-based measures as pathways to decarbonization. Findings from Cascade reveal the importance of: sustainable aviation fuels for the current fleet; minimizing emissions regardless of energy source; the limits of electric- and hydrogen-powered aircrafts through 2050; and the importance of fleet renewal in the coming years. (May 2023)

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EV Funding Finder (Electrification Coalition) — This tool helps eligible recipients sort through available U.S. federal funds for transportation electrification and helps recipients understand how investments can be matched. The tool can be used to represent a city, school, non-profit, business, state, community organization, shipper, or rural area and helps navigate the sometimes complicated matrix of federal funding opportunities. It can also help users identify where technical assistance is available. (Jan 2023)

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Toward Sustainable Fleet Transitions — This report, from sustainable development consultancy Arup and energy company Enel, brings together insights from practitioners and experts on how to catalyze, streamline, and accelerate the electrification of vehicle fleets. It explores how to advance this transition, from electric vehicle procurement and storage to charging infrastructure, maintenance, and operations, and looks at key considerations, such as stakeholder engagement, fleet user education, site planning, and facility design to minimize environmental impacts and maximize long-term value. (Dec 2022)

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Green Shipping Corridors Hub (Zero-Emission Shipping Mission) — Launched at COP27, this hub, which includes three initial tools, will support development of green shipping corridors by industry and governments. These include a Route Tracker to map all announced Green Corridor initiatives; a Matchmaker to enable interested stakeholders to find collaborators across the value chain; and a curated Library providing guides, frameworks and assessments relating to Green Corridors. (Nov 2022)

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Optimizing Investments in EV Charging Through Data Sharing (WBCSD) — A new brief by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development found that digital solutions can reduce carbon emissions from electric vehicle charging by 15% and reduce total EV charging infrastructure by up to 85%. This research, based on two digital solutions by Fujitsu and by Arcadis, show the value of using data and planning to optimize charging infrastructure and scheduling. (Oct 2022)

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Fleet Electrification Solution Center — This free online resource by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) provides a step-by-step roadmap for companies to electrify their medium and heavy-duty vehicle fleets (classes 3-8). This comprehensive resource, broken down into five phases, helps with navigating all steps from planning to implementation. (Oct 2022)

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Energy Web, Volkswagen Group Innovation, and Volkswagen’s smart energy subsidiary, Elli, have successfully piloted a new smart energy app that allows EV owners to select the precise, verifiable source of energy used to charge their vehicles in real-time. The blockchain-based Smart Charging App integrates Energy Web’s open-source “24/7 clean energy toolkit” operating system into Elli’s green charging app, which covers charging points across Europe. Users can use the app to choose the date and time of charging, the desired level of charge, and the renewable energy facility the electricity is drawn from. A traceable and secure NFT audit trail on the Energy Web Chain allows consumers to show proof of renewable energy purchases, greatly simplifying carbon accounting for corporate EV fleets. (July 2022)

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AMEX GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL / ACCENTURE / SHELL — Jointly announced the launch of Avelia, one of the first, and currently the largest, blockchain-based book-and-claim registries for sustainable aviation fuel in the world. Through Avelia, SAF producers ‘book’ their SAF into the registry, where it is then ‘claimed’ by a purchaser as a carbon offset credit. While the customer is not technically flying on SAF, the blockchain system verifies that the purchased SAF is delivered into the overall fuel system and can’t be double counted.  Purchases support the development of SAF supply by demonstrating market demand, and customers can claim the SAF emissions reduction towards their corporate GHG reduction goals. (June 2022)

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CO2 Insights (Migros) — A new analytics tool to support commercial fleets’ transition to carbon neutrality. The tool, developed in conjunction with Empa and HERE Technologies, predicts the amount of carbon emissions per route and recommends the most appropriate commercial vehicle and engine (diesel, electric, bio-gas or hydrogen) to produce the least emissions. (Jan 2022)

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Zero-Emission Technology Inventory (ZETI) (Drive to Zero) — An interactive online resource to establish a current and shared knowledge base for worldwide commercially available offerings of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs). (Nov 2021)

Collaborations & Agreements to Advance Sustainable Fuels (e.g., SAF)

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DHL EXPRESS / STANDARD CHARTERED — Announced an agreement to co-invest in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) through DHL’s GoGreen Plus service. This enables the bank, Standard Chartered, to balance its upstream logistics emissions with carbon credits. (March 2024)

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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES — Launched Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures (SARV), a subsidiary to increase Southwest’s opportunities to obtain sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and manage its SAF-related investments. The company also invested $30 million in SAF producer LanzaJet, which plans to build an ethanol-to-SAF facility to produce SAF primarily for Southwest. (March 2024)

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INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES GROUP (IAG) — Announced its largest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) purchase agreement to date, with SAF producer Twelve. IAG will purchase 984 million liters of e-SAF, made from CO2, water, and renewable energy, over 14 years to support its five European airlines. (March 2024)

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AIRBUS / TOTALENERGIES — Signed a strategic partnership for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). TotalEnergies will supply SAF for more than half of Airbus’s needs in Europe and the companies will collaborate on a research and innovation program aimed at developing 100% sustainable fuels tailored to the design of current and future aircraft. (Feb 2024)

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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES — Signed an offtake agreement with USA BioEnergy for up to 680 million gallons (2.6 billion liters) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) starting in 2028. Over the term of the 20-year agreement, this will avoid 30 million metric tons of CO2. (Nov 2023)

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DHL EXPRESS / WORLD ENERGY — Announced a seven-year agreement to provide DHL Express 668 million liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from SAF producer World Energy via SAF certificates (SAFc). This is one of longest and largest SAFc agreements in aviation to date and is expected to reduce approximately 1.7 million metric tons of CO2 emissions over the aviation fuel lifecycle. (October 2023)

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HONEYWELL / GRANBIO TECHNOLOGIES — Announced they will combine their two technologies to produce a carbon neutral sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The process will convert biomass residues into ethanol at GranBio’s forthcoming U.S. demonstration plant, which will then be converted to SAF using Honeywell’s ethanol to jet (ETJ) technology.

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DHL GROUP / NESTE / ISCC — Launched a collaboration to pioneer and test a new system (the ISCC Credit Transfer System) through which airlines, logistics service providers, and end customers can credibly report an emission reduction achieved by using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reduce their carbon footprint. The ISCC Credit Transfer System tracks SAF use and emissions reduction using a registry operated by ISCC, and provides “full traceability of SAF transactions,” enabling companies to credibly and transparently claim emissions reductions when purchasing SAF.

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GOOGLE — Is joining American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) and Shell Aviation in their sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program, Avelia, which aims to aggregate corporate demand for SAF, thus helping to scale SAF and reduce its costs. (Aug 2023)

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Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) — Announced SABA members will purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) certificates linked to 850,000 gallons (3.2 million liters) of a high-integrity SAF produced by World Energy, which will be used to fuel JetBlue flights this year. This SAF reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by 84% compared to conventional jet fuel. These purchases will help provide both a demand signal for fuel producers to make more SAF and lower its costs, as well as provide standardization and transparency for accounting and reporting certified greenhouse gas reductions. SABA members will also pilot a registry to bring more transparency, consistency, and integrity to the emerging SAF certificate market. Following the successful completion of this first joint procurement, SABA will launch a second competitive procurement process to procure SAF certificates across a five-year timeframe. This second process will be open to all airlines and fuel providers. (April 2023)

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The United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flights Fund — United Airlines, along with five corporate partners, launched this first-of-its-kind investment vehicle to support start-ups focused on accelerating the research, production, and technologies associated with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The fund starts with more than $100 million in investments from United and its inaugural partners: Air Canada and CEF Members Boeing, GE Aerospace (GE), JPMorgan Chase, and Honeywell. Customers can also donate to the fund when buying a ticket (with the first 10,000 receiving 500 United Miles). (Feb 2023)

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KBR — Announced it launched a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology in alliance with Swedish Biofuels AB. In addition to processing ethanol, this technology can also convert CO2 and synthesis gas to SAF. According to Dr. Angelica Hull of Swedish Biofuels, a key benefit of this technology is that it is “ready-to-use real jet fuel as opposed to a blend component.” v

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BLUE BLADE ENERGY — United Airlines, energy infrastructure company Tallgrass, and biorefining company Green Plains announced a new joint venture, Blue Blade Energy, to develop and commercialize a novel ethanol-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology. If successful, Blue Blade will construct a pilot facility in 2024, followed by a full-scale facility by 2028. The companies will invest up to $50 million to develop the technology, and United has entered into an offtake agreement for up to 135 million gallons of SAF annually and up to 2.7 billion gallons in total. (Feb 2023)

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DARLING INGREDIENTS / VALERO ENERGY — Announced that the companies have made the final investment decision on a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project at the Diamond Green Diesel Port Arthur plant in Texas. Upon completion, this plant will have the capability to upgrade approximately half of its 470 million gallon annual production capacity to SAF, making it one of the largest SAF manufacturers in the world. (Feb 2023)

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RMI and Energy Web Foundation announced they will build a digital registry for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certificates that will bring more transparency to emissions reduction claims about air travel. The registry aims to support and accelerate the deployment of high quality SAF by providing detailed data on the environmental qualities of these fuels. (Nov 2022)

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SAF pocket guide for Corporate Customers — The Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) has launched a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) pocket guide to build further understanding among the business community and encourage greater SAF uptake in corporate travel. This guide explains the benefits of SAF and details how it can be purchased for corporate travel, and complements SMI’s call for private sector businesses to commit to 30% SAF usage by 2030. (Nov 2022)

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Breakthrough Energy announced that its first Catalyst project funding will go to LanzaJet’s Freedom Pines Fuels sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant. This new plant, which will receive a $50 million grant from Breakthrough, is LanzaJet’s first commercial-scale SAF plant and will be the first in the world to produce ethanol that can be converted to SAF, which will lower emissions by at least 70% compared to fossil jet fuel. The plant is expected to produce 9 million gallons of SAF and one million gallons of renewable diesel annually, roughly doubling current SAF production in the U.S. (Oct 2022)

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LUFTHANSA / OMV — Lufthansa and chemicals group OMV have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to supply more than 264 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from 2023 to 2030. The companies will expand their partnership by adding new locations for SAF production. (Sept 2022)

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DG FUELS / DELTA — Established a new partnership in which DG Fuels will provide Delta with 385 million gallons of a new biomass-based low-emissions sustainable aviation fuel (55 million gallons per year over 7 years starting at the end of 2027). The fuel will be made from timber waste, corn stover, and cotton gin waste and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 75% and 85% compared to conventional jet fuel. (Sept 2022)

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BOEING — Announced two new collaborations, with Alder Fuels and MIT, respectively, to accelerate progress toward the civil aviation industry’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The aircraft manufacturer will support testing and qualification of Alder's "greencrude"-derived sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to spur much-needed growth in SAF availability.  The partnership with MIT is a three-year evaluation project called Pathways to Sustainable Aviation, which will explore "technical and economic factors that contribute to a more sustainable aerospace future." It will make use of Boeing's new Cascade data modeling tool that quantifies the emission-reducing power of various implementation scenarios. (July 2022)

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UNITED / DIMENSIONAL ENERGY — Signed a commercial agreement under which United will purchase 300 million gallons of Dimensional Energy’s first-of-its-kind carbon-neutral sustainable aviation fuel over twenty years. The fuel is made using just three readily available components—captured CO2, water, and a catalyst—in a reactor powered by renewable energy. The process, in addition to being carbon neutral, is also relatively easy to scale because it isn’t limited by feedstock supply. Use of the fuel will contribute to United’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality, without carbon offsets, by 2050. (June 2022)

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United Airlines Ventures (UAV) and Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV) announced a collaboration with Houston-based biotech firm Cemvita Factory to develop the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through a new process using synthetic microbes that convert CO2 into hydrocarbons. If development is successful, UAV and OLCV plan to form a joint venture to commercialize the technology. Cemvita is the third SAF-related technology in which UAV has invested. (May 2022)

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YARA INTERNATIONAL / AZANE FUEL SOLUTIONS — Global fertilizer company Yara and bunker terminal technology company Azane Fuel Solutions agreed to create a Scandinavian network of carbon-free bunker terminals—infrastructure to supply ships with zero-carbon ammonia as marine fuel. Yara pre-ordered 15 bunkering terminals from Azane and plans to make green ammonia available as fuel for ships in Scandinavia by 2024. (April 2022)

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DELTA — Signed an agreement with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) maker Gevo for approximately 75 million gallons of its bio-based SAF annually for seven years, with an anticipated 2026 start. The deal significantly expands the market for the nascent fuel, spurring production levels that will be necessary for Delta to meet its goal of fueling 10% of its operation with SAF by 2030. (April 2022)

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MICROSOFT — Is investing $50 million through its Climate Innovation Fund to help LanzaJet build the Freedom Pines Fuels plant in Georgia, which will produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel from sustainable ethanol sources. The plant is expected to start producing 10 million gallons of SAF and diesel annually in 2023. (Jan 2022)

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List of Collaborations & Agreements to Advance Sustainable Fuels, 2021-2020 (PDF)

Collaborations to Decarbonize  Vehicles

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Powering America’s Commercial Transportation (PACT) — This new coalition will focus on education and advocacy to support the deployment of commercial zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure in the U.S. for medium- and heavy-duty (M/HD) ZEVs. Established by Daimler Truck North America, Navistar, Inc., and Volvo Group North America (which represent 70% of new M/HD truck sales), the coalition is open to all stakeholders interested in accelerating the deployment of zero-emission commercial vehicles. CEF member Prologis is also a founding member. (Feb 2024)

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TOTALENERGIES / AIR LIQUIDE — Announced the creation of TEAL Mobility, a joint venture to accelerate the development of hydrogen for heavy duty trucks by creating a network of 100 stations on major European corridors over the next decade. TEAL Mobility aims to operate around 20 stations in five countries from 2024. (Feb 2024)

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Zero-Emission Vehicles in Emerging Markets Initiative (ZEV-EMI) — More than 30 major companies have forged collaborative agreements in emerging markets as part of the ZEV-EMI. This public-private action aims to accelerate investments along the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) value chain in India, then to replicate the model in Mexico and worldwide. The ZEV-EMI partner companies announced (Dec 2023):

• Establishment of a national data-sharing platform for optimizing planning and catalyzing infrastructure investments in India.
• Task forces for a large e-freight pilot deployment in India.
• Launch of ZEV-EMI in Mexico.
• Release of the ZEV-EMI collaboration models & best practices collection

Since the launch of the ZEV-EMI initiative at COP27, more than 30 companies have expressed support for the initiative, including CEF members Amazon, Bloomberg, General Motors, and PepsiCo. (Dec 2023)

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The Climate Pledge and C40 Cities — Launched Laneshift, a partnership to advance zero-emission road freight in India and Latin America. The initiative will accelerate development of EV infrastructure and the deployment of EV trucks. (Sept 2023)

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BMW GROUP / FORD MOTOR COMPANY / AMERICAN HONDA — Entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new, equally-owned, company that will create a platform to be used by both utilities and interested electric vehicle (EV) customers in the U.S. and Canada. ChargeScape will enable the smart use of plugged-in EV batteries by utilities, helping to both to decarbonize the grid and increase its resiliency. (Sept 2023)

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NEW CHARGING NETWORK JOINT VENTURE — Seven automakers, including CEF member GM, as well as BMW Group, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, and Stellantis NV will create a new charging network joint venture to expand access to high-powered EV charging in North America. The joint venture will develop a new, high-powered charging network powered by renewable energy with at least 30,000 chargers of both charger types (CCS and NACS). The venture is expected to be established this year, with first stations opening in the U.S. in the summer of 2024. (July 2023)

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ZEV-EMI and E-FAST — Fifteen companies, including CEF members Amazon and PepsiCo, have come together to advance the electrification of the truck market in India. Under the Zero Emission Vehicles Emerging Markets Initiative (ZEV-EMI) and the Indian government’s Electric Freight Accelerator for Sustainable Transport (E-FAST) these companies will work together to establish favorable market conditions for electric truck deployment under a national task force. This includes aggregating demand, building industrial capacity and financing instruments, planning for large-scale pilot implementation, and supporting policymaking for e-trucks in India. The companies also announced several pilot projects and signaled demand for more than 5,000 electric trucks by 2027, and 7,700 by 2030. (July 2023)

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Greenlane — Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy Resources, and BlackRock Alternatives launched this new joint venture to design, develop, install and operate a U.S.-wide, high-performance zero-emission public charging and hydrogen fueling network for medium- and heavy-duty battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The companies have committed more than $650 million in funding and will develop this infrastructure along critical freight routes on the east and west coasts and in Texas. Greenlane’s first site will be in Southern California. (May 2023)

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HGVzero 2023 — This industry action group follows on the success of HGVzero in 2022 and focuses on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) across the UK and Europe. In its first six months (starting in March 2023), members will address practical challenges to successfully roll-out low-carbon HGVs, including mapping market ready innovations, transition fuel options, and battery considerations; deploying infrastructure to support charging and hydrogen; and building the business case. Organizations interested in joining the HGVzero 2023 can learn more here. (March 2023)

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MaterialLoop — Audi, along with 15+ partners from the research, recycling, and supplier sectors, continue to study how to close the loop on materials such as aluminum, steel, plastic, and glass, harvesting these from end-of-life vehicles for use in new vehicles. Since dismantling 100 vehicles in October 2022 as a pilot project, MaterialLoop has put some findings into practice, including that scrap steel recycled in the project can be used for new models (instead of downcycling the steel). Steel using 12% MaterialLoop steel will be used to make inner door parts. Audi, with partner Volkswagen, are also working on a guide for suppliers on how to design plastic parts in a way that increases rates of recycling in automotive processes. (March 2023)

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Partnership to Support an Accelerated Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) in India — This partnership, launched at COP27, had its first dialogue in New Delhi, consisting of representatives of the governments of India, the UK, businesses, WBCSD, and multilateral funding organizations. Here they launched a ZEV country pilot program to support India’s ZEV transition plans and deepened partnerships between the Indian government and industry stakeholders through the ZEV Emerging Markets Initiative — an initiative that will refine public policies and expand opportunities for private investment. This dialogue was the first of a series of dialogues in emerging markets planned for 2023. (Feb 2023)

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TRAVEL CENTERS OF AMERICA (TA) / ELECTRIFY AMERICA — Entered an agreement to expand electric vehicle infrastructure, with Electrify America installing, operating, and maintaining approximately 1,000 chargers at 200 TA/Petro locations along major U.S. highways over five years. The charging stations will be co-branded with TA, with the first ones being built in Texas and Ohio in 2023. (Feb 2023)

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Tire Industry Project (TIP) — TIP, formed in 2005, announced the implementation of a renewed mission and enhanced organizational structure. TIP will now work to anticipate, understand, and address global ESG issues relevant to the tire industry and its value chain. This will complement its sustainability-driven program of scientific research and other projects. (Feb 2023)

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The Collective for Clean Transport Finance — Aims to create the tools to scale demand for and change the risk profiles of investments in zero-emission transport. The Collective was launched by five international organizations and the High-Level Climate Champions as a strategic collaboration and its membership will continue to expand over the coming year. It will develop strategic collaboration between governments, businesses and investors to aggregate the demand needed to create scale in zero-emission transport projects. (Nov 2022)

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General Motors and Environmental Defense Fund announced a set of jointly developed recommendations that seek to strengthen car emissions standards. These recommendations were developed to support the next tier of US EPA standards, including having at least 50% of new vehicles sold by 2030 be zero emissions, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% in model year 2030, as well as dramatically reducing nitrogen oxides and particulates. (Sept 2022)

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EV100+ — New zero emission road transport leadership commitment focused on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), launched by the non-profit Climate Group. IKEA, Unilever, JSW Steel, Maersk, and GeoPost/DPDgroup are the founding members of the initiative, which aims to phase out the heaviest and most polluting vehicles on today’s roads. Together these five businesses have committed to transitioning their fleets of MHDVs (over 7.5 metric tons) to zero emission by 2040 in OECD markets, China, and India. These vehicles, while only totaling 4% of all vehicles, account for 40% of all road transport emissions. (Sept 2022)

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Polestar 0 Project — The Swedish electric car company added 12 new partners to its project to produce a climate-neutral car (without offsetting) by 2030. New partners include companies in rare earth materials, plastics, chemicals, and composites. (Sept 2022)

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HGVzero — Convenes some of Europe’s largest shippers and haulers across industries to accelerate the decarbonization of their heavy goods vehicle (HGV) fleets. The initiative, organized by convening consultant Innovation Gateway, will spend its first six months developing a roadmap “to overcome costly and risky challenges around long to medium-haul vehicle and fuel technology, multi-fuel charging infrastructure, multi-modal efficiency, and value chain collaboration.” (July 2022)

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Coalition for American Battery Independence (CABI) — A group of automobile manufacturers, EV battery companies, and lithium producers seeking stronger federal support to build a large US battery supply chain that can meet surging demand and compete globally. At present, China produces 77% of lithium-ion batteries, while the U.S. has just 7% of the industry. CABI, which is run via the lobbying firm Boundary Stone Partners and includes CEF members Ford and General Motors, wants Congress to pass targeted tax incentives to advance a viable domestic battery manufacturing ecosystem. (May 2022)

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Japanese automaker Nissan announced a collaboration with the U.S. space program (NASA) and University of California San Diego to develop a new laminated all-solid-state battery that will be both faster-charging, smaller and safer than the lithium-ion battery currently in use, while also avoiding the use of rare metals. Nissan’s prototype facility will further develop the new battery technology, with a plan to open a pilot plant in 2024 and a new product launch slated for 2028. (April 2022)

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JAGUAR LAND ROVER/PRAMAC — Partnership will develop the Off Grid Battery Energy Storage System (ESS), “a portable zero-emission energy storage unit” that is powered by second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries and charged using solar panels. Jaguar Land Rover will also launch programs to deliver a second life and other uses for its EV batteries. (March 2022)

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FORD / REDWOOD MATERIALS / VOLVO — Battery materials company Redwood Materials is partnering with CEF member Ford and Volvo to pilot a program to recycle end-of-life batteries from any EVs and hybrids in California. (Feb 2022)

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GOOGLE — Is joining Ford as a founding member of Michigan Central, a 30-acre, mobility-focused innovation district in Detroit, created to accelerate the development of electric and autonomous vehicles, and help build a skilled workforce. The companies will work with startups and other companies to solve mobility challenges, and Google will focus on training and educating Detroiters for jobs needed for the future transportation system. Ford will also start accepting the Google certificate as a qualification for relevant jobs. (Feb 2022)

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List of Collaborations to Decarbonize Vehicles, 2021-2019 (PDF)

Collaborations to Decarbonize Aviation

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United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund — Added eight new corporate partners to this sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)-focused investment fund. This brings total capital to over $200 million and membership to 22. New partners include CEF member Google. (Feb 2024)

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GREATER MSP PARTNERSHIP — Through the Greater MSP Partnership, CEF members Bank of America, Delta Air Lines, and Ecolab, along with Xcel Energy, have established the first large-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) hub in the U.S. (in Minnesota). It will have a multi-phased approach, bringing SAF into Minnesota (as early as 2025), engaging SAF producers, and expanding its coalition. (Sept 2023)

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Sustainable Aviation Challenge — This new initiative calls for solutions that decarbonize air travel, including sustainable aviation fuel and battery-powered flight as well as innovations in feedstocks, engineering, and physical and market infrastructure. The challenge is a collaboration between the First Movers Coalition and UpLink, with support from CEF member Salesforce and other companies. Proposals will be accepted until 2 October 2023and “Top Innovators” announced later in the year. (Aug 2023)

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Contrail Avoidance Study (Google Research, American Airlines, and Breakthrough Energy) — This research effort brought together satellite imagery, weather, and flight path data and used AI to develop contrail forecast maps to test whether pilots can choose routes that avoid creating contrails. Over six months, pilots flew 70 test flights using AI-based predictions and contrail models to avoid altitudes likely to create contrails. Analysis found pilots were able to reduce contrails by 54%, providing “the first proof point that commercial flights can verifiably avoid contrails and thereby reduce their climate impact.” This came at the cost of a 2% increase in fuel usage, however, as a small percentage of flights need to be adjusted to avoid the majority of contrail warming, this could be brought down to as low as 0.3% across an airline’s flights (costing about $5-25/ton of CO2 equivalent). (Aug 2023)

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UNITED — The United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, a way to increase the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by supporting SAF start-ups, has increased its investment power to nearly $200 million and added eight new corporate partners, five months after its initial launch. New members include CEF member Bank of America and inaugural fund partners include CEF members Boeing, GE Aerospace, Honeywell, and JPMorgan Chase. (July 2023)

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Airports of Tomorrow — This initiative, launched by World Economic Forum with Airports Council International, aims to overhaul global airports to enable net-zero aviation. It brings together more than 50 CEOs from “the aviation ecosystem” to mobilize capital needed to transform airports into clean energy hubs, electrify airport operations, and scale up at least 300 Sustainable Aviation Fuel plants by 2030. CEF members include Bank of America, Boeing, Honeywell, and McKinsey & Co. (July 2023)

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Jet Zero Council — Announced a two-year action plan to reach net zero emissions in UK aviation by 2050 through increased production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). The plan calls for investing in SAF plants, supporting scientific research, and helping to drive down production costs. Meanwhile, an independent report, Developing a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel Industry, commissioned by the UK Department of Transport, sets out recommendations for building a SAF sector in the UK. (April 2023)

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Contrail Impact Task Force — Brings together major airlines, aircraft makers, and leading contrail researchers to explore opportunities to address the warming impacts of certain contrails. Specifically the task force aims to share and expand the latest science on the impact of contrails; develop actionable strategies to avoid warming contrails; analyze the operational and financial challenges of implementing potential solutions; and establish a roadmap for implementation and validation of mitigation tools. CEF members Boeing and Google (Google Research) are involved. (Nov 2022)

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Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition (SAF Coalition) — Qantas has joined with five Australian companies to show there is demand for a local sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry. Members will pay a premium to reduce around 900 metric tons of their air carbon emissions each year by contributing to the incremental cost of SAF rather than using traditional carbon offsets. The Coalition will initially contribute to the incremental cost of up to 10 million liters of SAF, increasing to a further 20 million liters each year from 2025. (Nov 2022)

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DELTA / MIT — Are collaborating to test methods and develop tools to prevent persistent contrails, which are roughly 10% of all contrails and create long-standing clouds that contribute to global warming, and are one of aviation’s largest environmental impacts. The findings and technology will be published under an open-source license to help the industry reduce the adverse effects of contrails. (Oct 2022)

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BOEING — Announced two new collaborations, with Alder Fuels and MIT, respectively, to accelerate progress toward the civil aviation industry’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The aircraft manufacturer will support testing and qualification of Alder's "greencrude"-derived sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to spur much-needed growth in SAF availability.  The partnership with MIT is a three-year evaluation project called Pathways to Sustainable Aviation, which will explore "technical and economic factors that contribute to a more sustainable aerospace future." It will make use of Boeing's new Cascade data modeling tool that quantifies the emission-reducing power of various implementation scenarios. (July 2022)

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Eco-Skies Alliance — 12 companies, including CEF members Meta, Microsoft, and Visa, joined United Airlines’ corporate alliance to reduce aviation-related environmental impact and create demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Existing signatories have collectively contributed to the purchase of over 7 million gallons of SAF this year—enough to eliminate approximately 66,000 metric tons of GHG emissions. (Dec 2021)

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Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA) — A new Cambridge University-led, international group of aerospace, climate science, economics, and policy experts was formed to build a simulator that will support the aviation sector’s transition to net-zero flights by 2050. The interactive, evidence-based simulator will explore a range of future scenarios for achieving the transition, calculating the climate impact, resource requirements, and the cost of flying. Backed by HRH The Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative and The World Economic Forum, corporate advisors include Boeing, BP, Heathrow, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens Energy. (Aug 2021)
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Target True Zero initiative — A new World Economic Forum initiative was launched to accelerate zero-emissions aviation by leveraging hydrogen and electric flight technologies. The initiative will examine the technologies’ readiness, total cost of ownership, and infrastructure requirements and create a roadmap for industry transition, to be released at COP26. The 16 aviation partners involved include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Wright Electric, with McKinsey & Co. as a knowledge partner. (Aug 2021)
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Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) — A new alliance launched by RMI and Environmental Defense Fund to accelerate aviation decarbonization by driving investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), catalyzing new SAF production and technological innovation, and supporting member engagement in policy-making. Founding companies involved include Boeing, BCG, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Netflix, and Salesforce. (April 2021)
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AIRLINES FOR AMERICA (A4A) — The industry trade organization representing major U.S. airlines—including FedEx, JetBlue, and UPS—announced its members' commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Members plan to partner with government and business stakeholders to accelerate the development of commercially viable sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with a goal of making 2 billion gallons of SAF accessible to U.S. aircraft operators by 2030. (March 2021)
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Europe’s aviation sector unveiled a new sustainability initiative, Destination 2050, providing a roadmap for the industry to become carbon neutral by 2050. The plan envisions reducing 92% of absolute emissions by combining new technologies, improving operations, using sustainable aviation fuels, and through economic measures; the remaining 8% would be removed via natural and tech-enabled carbon sinks. (February 2021)

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Collaborations to Decarbonize Shipping

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Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV) — Added 10 freight-buying companies to its ranks, bringing the total to over 35. The announcement is part of the Green Shipping Challenge, a US-Norway joint initiative to reduce emissions from shipping. Among the new members are CEF members Meta and REI Co-op. (Dec 2023)

ZEMBA (Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance) — Issued a call for shipping operators to begin offering zero-emission shipping and promised to negotiate a green premium for the service. The Alliance requested that 600,000 20-foot shipping containers be transported at a 90% reduction in lifecycle emissions over a period of three years, from 2025 if possible. Each journey will be up to 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km). (Sept 2023)

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SEA/CENTER FOR ZERO CARBON SHIPPING— Maritime software provider Sea and Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (the Center) signed a knowledge partnership agreement, becoming official partners and committing to a long-term strategic collaboration to accelerate the decarbonization of the maritime industry. Sea will now provide the Center with access to its pre-trade intelligence and analytics tool, which can provide emissions evaluations for analysis of green corridors, waiting times, and fleet speeds, to estimate emission reduction potentials. (Aug 2023)

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Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a revised GHG reduction strategy for shipping that set a net zero emissions target "close to 2050." Additional targets include a commitment to having 5%-10% of shipping fuel and energy sources come from “alternative zero and near-zero” GHG fuels by 2030 and reducing emissions by at least 20% by 2030 and 70% by 2040 relative to 2008 levels. (July 2023)

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Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) — This new alliance, founded by the Aspen Institute, Patagonia, Tchibo, and CEF member Amazon, was formed to enable companies to access zero-emission shipping solutions that are not currently available. Through ZEMBA, freight buyers will accelerate the commercial deployment of zero-emission shipping, enable economies of scale, and help minimize maritime emissions. ZEMBA members will offer committed demand to build confidence among investors, carriers, ship owners, and producers of zero-emission fuels and renewable energy. Freight buyers are invited to join ZEMBA as a way to access zero-emission shipping. (March 2023)

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Joint Statement on Green Hydrogen and Green Shipping — Ten organizations and initiatives across the shipping value chain and the largest producers of green hydrogen signed a joint statement committing to the rapid and ambitious production and use of low-carbon fuels based on green hydrogen to accelerate decarbonization of global shipping. The signatories have agreed to pursue cross-sector collaboration to develop commercially viable zero-emissions ocean vessels by 2030; scale up production of green hydrogen to 5.5 million tons per year by 2030 for use in shipping; and fully decarbonize the shipping sector by 2050 at the latest. (Nov 2022)

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The Green Shipping Challenge launched during the World Leaders Summit of COP27. Countries, ports, and companies made more than 40 announcements on issues such as innovations for ships, expansion in low- or zero-emission fuels, and policies to help promote the uptake of next-generation vessels. Announcements included:

• CEF Member Amazon signaled its demand for zero emissions ocean shipping by 2040 and reviewed its several initiatives supporting this transition, including investments, partnerships, and fuel purchases;
• The U.S. is launching a Green Shipping Corridors initiation project to support green shipping corridors involving developing countries, and is also launching a Green Shipping Corridor Hub, an online platform with tools to streamline green shipping corridors globally;
• The U.S. is facilitating green shipping corridors with Canada, Korea, and the UK.
• The U.S. will develop a national action plan for maritime decarbonization beginning in 2023.

In a parallel announcement, the UK pledged to roll out green maritime links with the U.S., Norway, and the Netherlands, and agreed to launch a special Green Shipping Corridor Task Force with the U.S. to bring sector experts together and encourage R&D. (Nov 2022)

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The Maritime Resilience Breakthroughs— The 2030 Maritime Resilience Breakthroughs officially launched at COP27, putting resilience on an equal footing with mitigation in the maritime sector. One initiative to support this is the Maritime Resilience Breakthroughs Lab: Resilience4Ports. This innovation lab will bring a globally representative cohort of port owners, authorities, and operators together with policy makers, engineers, business executives, and community representatives to build the resilience of ports to climate change and to other sources of disruption. For those interested in learning more, visit here, where you can also register to join the effort. (Nov 2022)

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International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)  — Announced proposals to accelerate the maritime sector’s transition to net-zero by financially rewarding ships and energy producers that invest in low- and net-zero emissions fuels. These funds would be distributed based on emissions avoided, and could offset higher costs for alternative fuels. ICS also proposed setting up an “International Maritime Sustainability Fund” that could raise money to help narrow the price gap between high carbon marine fuels and alternative fuels as well as support investment in developing countries for the production and bunkering of those fuels. (Oct 2022)

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HGVzero — Convenes some of Europe’s largest shippers and haulers across industries to accelerate the decarbonization of their heavy goods vehicle (HGV) fleets. The initiative, organized by convening consultant Innovation Gateway, will spend its first six months developing a roadmap “to overcome costly and risky challenges around long to medium-haul vehicle and fuel technology, multi-fuel charging infrastructure, multi-modal efficiency, and value chain collaboration.” (July 2022)

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YARA INTERNATIONAL / AZANE FUEL SOLUTIONS — Global fertilizer company Yara and bunker terminal technology company Azane Fuel Solutions agreed to create a Scandinavian network of carbon-free bunker terminals—infrastructure to supply ships with zero-carbon ammonia as marine fuel. Yara pre-ordered 15 bunkering terminals from Azane and plans to make green ammonia available as fuel for ships in Scandinavia by 2024. (April 2022)

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MICHELIN — Unveiled its Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) system: an automated, inflatable sail that aims to boost cargo-ship efficiency and decreases overall vessel fuel consumption by an estimated 20%, reducing CO2 emissions. The company expects production in 2022 and will test a 100-square-foot sail on a merchant ship that year. (July 2021)
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Shipping industry leaders back IMO’s $5B “Moonshot” Maritime Research Fund — The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), representing 80% of the global shipping industry, announced its support for a proposed $5 billion fund to catalyze R&D of zero-carbon technologies to help the shipping industry meet UN decarbonization goals. (March 2021)

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Norwegian chemical company Yara International has partnered with Statkraft and Aker Horizons to establish Europe’s first large-scale green ammonia and hydrogen project, which will remove CO2 emissions from ammonia (a source of hydrogen) to produce emission-free fuel for shipping, carbon-free fertilizer, and ammonia for industrial applications. (February 2021)

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