The Climate Pledge and C40 Cities have jointly launched a new initiative, known as Laneshift, to reimagine zero-emission freight shipping. By replacing conventional road freight vehicles with electric alternatives and optimizing the routes they travel, Laneshift is expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions. The Climate Pledge has committed $10 million to C40 Cities to kickstart the project.
Road freight is a major contributor to air pollution, and decarbonizing this sector is critical. The Global Commercial Vehicle Roadmap states that cities must have a saturation of electric trucks by 2030 to achieve the goal of 100% zero-emission commercial trucks by 2040. Laneshift aims to accelerate this transition by partnering with cities to facilitate the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and the deployment of EVs.
Laneshift will initially focus on four Indian cities: Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Pune. These cities will benefit from the accelerated development of EV infrastructure, leading to reduced emissions, cleaner air, the creation of green jobs, and more sustainable transportation. Additionally, major cities in Latin America, including Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico, will also participate in Laneshift.
In 2020, road freight emitted over 2.2 billion metric tons of CO2, surpassing the combined emissions of air, sea, and rail freight. Projections indicate that road freight emissions will continue to rise unless significant action is taken. Urban freight in India is projected to grow by 140% by 2030, while road freight in Latin America is expected to double by 2025.
Laneshift aims to bring together stakeholders to collaboratively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate air pollution. By creating a roadmap for the transition to electric vehicles, the initiative will engage the freight industry and cities in sending demand signals and fostering collaboration across transportation and logistics sectors. The project complements Amazon’s existing efforts in these countries and encourages other companies to join the initiative.
The partnership between C40 Cities and The Climate Pledge is essential for the decarbonization of the high-priority road freight sector. It exemplifies the type of collaboration necessary for success in addressing climate change. The mayors of C40 Cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to limit global warming and build resilient communities.
As part of its overall decarbonization journey, Amazon continues to invest in EV partnerships globally. In India, Amazon already operates a delivery fleet of over 6,000 EVs, with plans to reach 10,000 EVs by 2025. Globally, the company had more than 9,000 electric delivery vehicles in 2022, and it delivered over 145 million packages using EVs in the U.S. and Europe.
Sources:
– (The Climate Pledge and C40 Cities collaboration)
– (Global Commercial Vehicle Roadmap)
– (Amazon’s sustainability efforts and EV fleet)