This year, Climate Week NYC 2021 included over 500 events hosted by organizations all over the world and a series of Climate Group-led events as part of The Hub Live all centered around the theme of “Getting It Done.” Leading EV100 member, IKEA offers a perfect example of Getting It Done via their last-mile deliveries in North America. As part of the official Climate Week NYC 2021 events program, NYC DCAS hosted its 32nd Annual Equipment & Vehicle Show in Queens, NY. Among the many new EVs and commercial vehicles on display at the show, IKEA’s new last-mile delivery vehicles showcased the true potential of zero-emission last-mile deliveries.
Supported by CALSTART, IKEA partnered with Fluid Truck and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to develop an electric vehicle (EV) sponsorship model to help its carriers, and others, procure and get behind EVs. As EDF explains, most companies including IKEA ship and deliver their products using carriers rather than by owning their delivery trucks. However, third-party carriers are slower to adopt EVs due to several barriers such as upfront cost and lack of reliable charging infrastructure. Companies committed to going 100% electric, many of which are EV100 members like IKEA are in a unique and complex position as they look to fulfill their commitments by 2030.
“Right now, there's a huge gap between where we are on electric delivery and where we need to be," said Harold Rickenbacker, Manager of Clean Air & Innovation at EDF+Business. "Innovative sponsorship models can help put us on track by giving companies a mechanism for meeting their clean shipping goals. It's a win-win-win for brands, carriers and the planet".
Photo from left to right: (Aileen Monahan (Associate at Capalino), Zoe Morales Ervolino (Analyst at Capalino), Rich Kassel (Group Leader at Capalino), Benjamin Mandel (Northeast Regional Director at CALSTART), Julie Johnson (Enterprise Business Development at Lightning eMotors), Steven Moelk (Fulfillment Project Implementation Manager- Zero Emission Delivery at Ikea Group), Dmitriy Smolyar (Fleet Manager at Fluid Truck), David Feldman (Sales Manager- New York City at Fluid Truck), Vartan Badalian (EV100 Program & Public Policy Manager, North America at the Climate Group), Ricardo Garcia Coyne (Northeast Project Manager at CALSTART)
IKEA’s solution is industry-leading and it’s something that shouldn’t be only limited to IKEA. This solution offers a new option for EV100 members and other companies looking to find easier ways to deploy EVs. Through this model and partnership with Fluid Truck, IKEA carriers use EVs owned and managed by Fluid to fulfill home deliveries. Currently, IKEA has roughly 40 vehicles deployed in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region as it works through its global EV100 commitment.
“Small fleet owners are the backbone of most home delivery and third-party logistics operations. Until zero-emission trucks are in widespread use, we need to recognize that many of these smaller fleet owners need a way to access EVs without taking on the risk and expense of being an early adopter. The IKEA US rental set up allows us and other shippers with the opportunity to utilize zero-emission delivery options without owning the fleet. We welcome others to use this model or find other financing and ownership models to help speed further EV deployment.”
“Small fleet owners are the backbone of most home delivery and third-party logistics operations. Until zero-emission trucks are in widespread use, we need to recognize that many of these smaller fleet owners need a way to access EVs without taking on the risk and expense of being an early adopter. The IKEA US rental set up allows us and other shippers with the opportunity to utilize zero-emission delivery options without owning the fleet. We welcome others to use this model or find other financing and ownership models to help speed further EV deployment.”
Vartan Badalian, EV100 Program and Public Policy Manager at the Climate Group says “Ingka Group was a founding member of EV100 in 2017 and has since been innovating in the zero-emission vehicle delivery space. Their leadership in EV100 continues to show through such unique EV deployment models. It’s amazing to see such action, especially during Climate Week NYC 2021 where the theme is “Getting It Done.”
As EV100 members look to convert their vehicles in the New York/New Jersey region and elsewhere in the US, they can deploy partnerships such as with Fluid and others. For members interested in working with Fluid Truck, read more about their program here to see how you can rapidly deploy EVs in your fleet.
About EV100:
EV100 is a global initiative by the Climate Group bringing together forward-looking companies committed to accelerating the transition to EVs, to make electric transportation “the new normal” by 2030. Electric transportation offers a major solution to climate change, as well as curbing air and noise pollution. Businesses can lead through their investment decisions and influence on millions of staff and customers worldwide. By joining EV100 companies increase demand, drive mass roll-out, and make EVs more rapidly affordable for everyone. In driving corporate EV uptake, the Climate Group works closely with regional engagement partners such as Ceres and Japan Climate Leaders Partnership. Members come together as a single voice to promote the development of the EV market.