The award is part of the New York Clean Transportation Prize program designed to advance solutions to reduce air pollution, enhance electrification and grow mobility options in underserved communities across the state.
Administered by NYSERDA, the program supports New York State's nation-leading goal of an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 as outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
VGNA won the award in the Clean Neighbourhoods category and will be the project leader for a multi-pronged approach to introduce accessible and affordable clean transportation solutions to companies in Hunts Point in the South Bronx.
Hunts Point is home to the nation's largest wholesale food hub, nine waste transfer facilities, several large recycling yards, a wastewater treatment facility, and a residential community of nearly 13,000, all located in the southern tier of the poorest urban congressional district in the United States.
Electrification of local truck fleets offers the most direct approach to addressing freight transportation emissions in the area comprehensively.
VGNA's proposal identified three challenges that local fleet operators face when considering electrification of their fleets including access to affordable charging infrastructure; high acquisition costs of current electric truck models; and scarcity of battery-electric refrigeration solutions available in a food distribution hub.
To overcome these hurdles to EV truck adoption, VGNA's winning proposal includes the following plans to build a multi-user EV charging hub and the establishment of the Electric Truckers Cooperative (ETC). Under this proposal, with VGNA's guidance, a new worker-owned, zero-tailpipe emission logistics company will be developed by the 6,000 member Drivers Cooperative, a driver-owned ride-hailing organisation based in New York City . The ETC will give members access to electric trucks that they otherwise might not be able to afford. All the cooperative's trucks will reside and be charged at the Recharge Hub.
VGNA also proposed the creation of a refrigerated battery-electric fleet and will provide four additional Class 7 VNR electric trucks to City Harvest, a food rescue organisation. The project will model emissions reduction in a refrigerated fleet while addressing food insecurity in the Bronx. All four trucks will feature battery-electric transport refrigeration units (eTRUs) and utilise the EV freight hub for charging.
"The Volvo Group's goal is to drive prosperity through transport and infrastructure solutions," said Keith Brandis, VGNA vice president of system solutions and partnerships. "This project is in perfect alignment with that objective and our goal to have at least 35% fully electric vehicles sales by 2030."
VGNA anticipates the project to kick off in early 2023, with the first truck deliveries occurring in the fourth quarter.
