RMI Carbon-Free Transportation

The latest report from North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) contains some exciting insights on real-world electric truck operations from the data recorded during Run On Less Electric Depot. One finding I found particularly interesting is that most of the trucks monitored rarely returned to the depot with less than 40% state of charge (SOC) at the end of their shifts. Having a high SOC buffer ensures all deliveries are completed, even with any unexpected extra mileage, but it also presents some optimization opportunities. Consistently high SOC margins suggest potential savings through right-sizing EVSE. By accurately understanding energy consumption and end-of-day SOC (rather than sizing chargers for worst-case full battery pack charges), fleets can opt for smaller, more cost-effective chargers, share them across more vehicles, and possibly reduce interconnection times due to lower peak loads. Some urban fleets studied could even manage with only charging every few days! Dive into the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gKaKnf9d

"7 in 8 workers lack even a single green skill — at a time when the future of our planet depends on them." Read LinkedIn's new report on regulations, programs, and policies that foster green skill development and create pathways that help workers transition. #climate #transportation #skills #workforce

The global on-demand last-mile delivery service, which includes companies such as Uber Eats, Door Dash, JustEat, and Deliveroo, has a value of more than $150 billion and continues to grow. But what are the #climate impacts of these deliveries? And how can we decrease the climate impacts by helping the sector encourage modal shift and transitioning to zero-emissions vehicles? RMI tackled those questions by engaging directly with the delivery couriers themselves and others in London, Mexico City, and Seattle to understand the barriers to zero-emissions last-mile delivery and develop recommendations to accelerate the shift to zero-emissions last-mile deliveries. #electricvehicles #evs #transportation #infrastructure #lastmiledelivery

"Death by PowerPoint" is a term that most of us have heard before. I'd like to suggest that these dozens of fantastic slides from RMI are "Life by Powerpoint". I apologize now to my grandkids for the huge carbon footprint my generation is leaving. But at the very same time, I'm excited that my career in trucking technologies has spanned dramatic changes to the core product. First electronic engines changed operations and allowed fleet owners to have better controls to operate their fleets. We have made the trucks much better for driver comfort and safety. Now as my career is nearing the end, it is exciting to see how electrification, hydrogen and autonomy are enabling decarbonization and there are significant signs on progress for a better tomorrow. The energy we will use in the future is cleaner and more abundant than you currently image. Please take the time to absorb these incredible graphics: https://lnkd.in/gWykNFH9 . There is not a lot to read, but there is a lot to learn. Ironically, I'm on the road again this week and staying at a hotel that is walking distance from an ENORMOUS battery plant under construction in the Midwest. Look at the slides and you will understand the significance.

There's a quote attributed to many people 'If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.' My colleagues Kingsmill Bond Daan Walter and Sam Butler-Sloss dedicated the time to telling the short story of the energy transition - why it's happening and why it won't stop - with few words and a bunch of compelling charts. Give it a read. It's easy to get lost in the politics of the energy transition, because it's all everyone wants to talk about. But underneath all of that there is a fundamental economic reality - the prices of renewable generation and storage have been on a consistent downward trajectory for decades and recently have crossed and are poised to cross key thresholds of competitiveness against fossil fuel competitors. For me it all comes down to a few basic things: Costs converge to first principles - it will always be expensive to extract, refine and transport oil and gas. Technology develops and processes become more efficient, but accessing, moving and refining fossil fuels comes with costs that cannot change. Renewable generation and storage has a much higher share of costs that can be reduced with learning and engineering. With investment, which is abundant these days, those costs have fallen drastically. You are looking at the proof right now - almost everyone who sees this post will be reading it on a laptop or a mobile phone - both are basically a collection of semi-conductors and batteries. The cost and capability of the machine you are reading this on has improved exponentially for decades. Solar and storage is also just a collection of semi-conductors and batteries. Their costs and capabilities have been improving for decades, the impacts to incumbents will be no less disruptive. The trend is your friend - no one is betting on the return of punch cards or land line phones. Don't bet on oil, gas and coal. Sure, understand that they will take a long time to fully retire, and may even grow in absolute terms while shrinking in relative terms. But the share of the market where they are cost effective relevant to renewables and storage is constantly shrinking and has been for many years. Economies and companies will flourish or languish on these dynamics - there are huge economies of scale and first mover advantages in solar, wind, battery and other clean techs. Countries that plan and invest accordingly will reap the rewards. Taiwan was not pre-ordained to dominate chip markets, they invested in the capacity to be the world's chip foundry because it was essential for their national security. Companies and countries who don't invest will end up either bankrupt or dependent. Politics only matter in the short term - policy and regulation can be an accelerant or a retardant, but the end game is clear. Look at California and Texas, vastly different approaches to energy markets and regulation, highly similar outcomes.

Many are rightfully concerned that publicly accessible #EVchargers will continue to be disproportionally deployed in high-income areas where #EV ownership is highest. If this trend persists, lower-income communities, particularly those in multifamily housing (MFH), will be left behind as technology advances, missing out on EVs' many benefits, and we don’t think that’s fair. That’s why RMI collaborated with Atlanta, Phoenix, and Portland to understand how we can ensure that #charginginfrastructure is accessible to everyone, regardless of income. We identified charging solutions tailored to the #transportation needs of MFH residents. Check it out: https://bit.ly/3VhDHrl

Given that 40% of Americans in the largest US cities live in multifamily housing, state and local governments need to prioritize increasing access to EV chargers and shared mobility options like carshares, electric scooters, and bikes if they are to create equitable access to electric #transportation. That's why RMI engaged with residents of lower-income multifamily housing communities in Portland, OR; Atlanta, GA; and Phoenix, AX and city partners, #EV equity advocacy groups, car rental organizations, micromobility companies, charging equipment providers, and those involved in building management. You can find our findings in our most recent report: #climate #electricvehicles #EVs #electriccars #EVinfrastructure

Most of the 1.8 million trucks are on the road in California today run on diesel fuel, bringing harmful air pollution and carbon emissions into neighboring communities. But thanks to new legislation, all drayage trucks must be zero-emissions vehicles by 2035.   Learn more about the charging infrastructure enabling this transition during a webinar hosted by RMI, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and Mission Possible Partnership: 🚚 Providing Truck Charging Solutions in Southern California 📅 Tuesday, June 18 🕙 10:00 a.m. PT 📍 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gSb5BRfm   Join us to hear the latest analysis from experts at RMI alongside real-world examples of deployment. The panel will include Rick Mihelic from NACFE, Paul Gioupis, CEO of Zeem Solutions, Andrew Hicks, National Director of E-Mobility for BGIS, and RMI experts Julia Thayne, Reback Mia, and Nocona Sanders, Ph.D.   We’ll close with a Q&A segment, giving you the opportunity to ask panelists about their experience working to decarbonize heavy transport in California.   We hope you can join us!   #energytransition #climateaction #netzero

"A scarcity mindset does not serve us well, as it ignores the fact that today’s battery production occurs in just a few countries, making it extremely vulnerable to disruption. If one of these countries experiences a bottleneck, the entire supply chain is affected. "We would do well to embrace an abundance mindset: one that refutes the notion that opportunities are finite and instead invites stakeholders to fully appreciate how working together in pursuit of a common purpose can benefit all parties. "An abundance mindset recognizes that the supply chain will always be global to a certain extent, as no one country has, or can have, a total monopoly on its upstream, midstream, and downstream segments. That’s why it’s so important that multiple countries strengthen their supply chains; if one country’s production falters, others can step in to mitigate possible negative domino effects." Read Laura LoSciuto's take on what needs to be done to successfully strengthen the global #EV battery supply chain below. #climate #transportation #electricvehicles #batterycircularity #EVsupplychain

“We’re now hoping that there’s some kind of domino effect. We really regard the Colorado rule as the gold standard for how states should address transportation climate strategy.” Benjamin Holland weighs in on Colorado's efforts to prioritize strengthening multimodal transit over status quo highway projects in this article from The New York Times' Megan Kimble. #climate #transportation #transportationinfrastructure #multimodaltransit