Last week, the Powering America’s Commercial Transportation (PACT) coalition launched in Washington D.C., serving as a fresh unified voice for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty (MDHD) infrastructure in the United States.
Established by industry leaders, Daimler Truck North America, Navistar, Inc., and Volvo Group North America, PACT aims to bring together prominent actors in the industry, including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), commercial fleets, developers, utilities, and policymakers, to pave the way for MDHD charger build-out.
In line with PACT’s goals, policy and market support has significantly ramped up for MDHD infrastructure in the U.S. A new data story by Atlas Public Policy estimates the total investment committed to MDHD charging in the U.S. to date and benchmarks progress made towards deployment. Below are three learnings from the data:
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An estimated $30 billion is going toward supporting MDHD charging across federal, state, and local governments, in addition to investor-owned utilities and the private sector. Of the $30 billion, approximately 70 percent, or $21 billion, comes from federally issued funds. The IRA is a large driver behind this substantial bucket of funding, which renewed funding for key programs such as the Low- or No-Emission Grant Program, the Clean School Bus Program, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, and several others.
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Private investment in MDHD infrastructure has seen notable growth with an estimated $4.2 billion announced through the end of 2023, a 270 percent increase since 2021. The data story notes that the top market for private sector investment in MDHD exists in California but that other states are catching up. In particular, commitments outside of California more than tripled from $105 million in 2021 to $322 million through 2023. Further, at least 278 fleets have made investment commitments to electrify MDHD vehicles, including Amazon, Anheuser-Busch, and Sysco.
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At least 39 MDHD charging sites identified with five or more DCFC ports that are either planned, in construction, or operational. Atlas sifted through press releases and found at least 39 charging sites with five or more DCFC ports designated for MDHD vehicles that are either planned, in construction, or operational. Since private fleets do not often publicly announce plans for MDHD sites, there are likely to be more than 39. For instance, the data story cites One Energy’s 30 megawatt (MW) charging hub in Findlay, Ohio, which is currently under construction. Once fully operational, the site will host 90 300 kW chargers, capable of being used by 90 semi-trucks simultaneously.
