The landmark report, Advancing Zero-Emission Trucks and Green Ports was officially launched in Antwerp on December 13, 2024. The event marked a significant milestone as the ICPSD Director and Windrose founder & CEO jointly unveiled the report in Europe. During the launch, they discussed the necessary steps to scale up the global adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs), emphasizing the need for international collaboration and innovative solutions. This first-ever UN report on zero-emission trucks, initially introduced during COP29 as part of ICPSD’s side activities, highlights the urgent need for actionable solutions to mitigate the environmental and public health impacts of rising global transport emissions.

Antwerp, 19 December 2024 – The transition to zero-emission trucks (ZETs) represents a critical step toward mitigating the environmental and health impacts of rising transport emissions, particularly as trucking alone contributes 5% of global energy-related emissions. As global carbon emissions continue to escalate, sustainable solutions in freight transport are not just desirable—they are essential.

The transition to zero-emission transportation is gaining momentum, as evidenced by significant advancements in vehicle availability, charging infrastructure, and research investments. The number of zero-emission vehicle models has grown by 6.26 percent, from 910 in 2023 to 967 in 2024, reflecting rapid innovation and increasing demand for sustainable transport solutions. 

Charging infrastructure is also expanding rapidly, with global private EV charger installations projected to rise from 11.9 million in 2020 to 124.4 million by 2030. Publicly accessible slow chargers for light-duty vehicles are expected to more than double, increasing from 4.3 million in 2020 to 9.69 million by 2025. This growth is critical for facilitating long-haul electrification and decarbonizing the transport sector, particularly with strategically deployed high-power chargers along routes and slower systems at depot locations. 

Meanwhile, significant investments in research and development (R&D) are driving innovation in powertrain technologies. In early 2024, Chinese EV manufacturers NIO and BYD allocated 29 percent and 8.5 percent of their revenue to R&D, respectively, while in 2022, Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz dedicated 6.8 percent, 3.7 percent, and 5.7 percent of their revenue to advancing EV technologies. These combined efforts underscore the accelerating global commitment to zero-emission transport.

Advancing Zero-Emission Trucks and Green Ports report explores the challenges impeding the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs), with a focus on barriers related to infrastructure, technology, operations, logistics, finance, and policy. This report underscores the transformative potential of ZETs by providing a comprehensive framework to accelerate their adoption. The report highlights several key strategies and policies critical for advancing the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs):
 

1. Charging Infrastructure Development: The report emphasizes strategies to improve ZET charging infrastructure, including enhancing charging stations, streamlining zoning and permissions, ensuring charger interoperability, and incentivizing infrastructure development and operation.

2. Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges: To address supply chain obstacles, the report outlines policies aimed at fostering partnerships between OEMs and suppliers, prioritizing R&D for new technologies, diversifying supply chains, and improving workforce training to ensure effective ZET adoption.

3. Addressing Financial Challenges: The report identifies financial solutions such as credit guarantees, green bonds, subsidies, truck loan assistance programs, collective purchasing, and innovative rental business models as critical tools to overcome ZET adoption barriers.

4. Effective Policies and Strategies: Strategies in the report include implementing CO2 reduction standards, incentivizing fuel efficiency, and focusing on policies to close the total cost of ownership (TCO) gap between battery electric trucks (BETs) and diesel trucks, with the goal of achieving cost parity by 2030.

5. Building Partnership: The report stresses the importance of establishing multi-stakeholder alliances, standardizing data-sharing frameworks, creating joint public-private funding mechanisms, and enhancing awareness through targeted customer outreach efforts.

Addressing the pressing environmental challenges in the transport sector is critical, with ports playing a pivotal role in driving sustainable change within global logistics. Ports are vital hubs for trade and transportation, yet they are also significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution due to heavy reliance on diesel-powered trucks and equipment. Transitioning to zero-emission trucks (ZETs) within port operations is not only essential for reducing environmental and health impacts but also for aligning with global sustainability and climate resilience goals. By emphasizing the transformative potential of green ports as centers of innovation and green logistics, the report underscores the importance of integrating ZETs to create cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable transportation systems.

The report is the result of a dynamic partnership led by UNDP’s Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (ICPSD), in collaboration with Doğuş University and the support of Windrose Technology, a producer of electric trucks. The report and webinar were supported with expertise and contributions from Mr. Sahba Sobhani, Director of ICPSD, Mr. Wen Han, founder & CEO of Windrose Technology; Mr. Bill Van Amburg, Global Strategic Advisor on Zero Emission Commercial Vehicles; Mr. Sean Cooke from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Mr. Ricardo García Coyne from CALSTART; Dr. Lewis M. Fulton from University of California Davis and Green Energy Solutions Team, ITM UNDP.

For those interested in learning more, the full report can be accessed here.

“The advancement of ZETs and green ports requires coordinated action among governments, industry, and development organizations, with priority given to high-impact areas such as multimodal transport systems and innovative financing mechanisms, ” 
Sahba Sobhani, ICPSD Director, BPPS, UNDP

“With our headquarters in Belgium, Windrose Technology has now designed and deployed EV long-haul trucks on 4 continents including Asia, North America, Europe, and Oceania. I am honored support this report, as it underscores the critical role of investing in research and development to drive innovation and accelerate the adoption of zero-emission trucks for a sustainable future across the world”
Wen Han, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Windrose Technology