Environmental Advocates, Business Leaders & Elected Officials Say It’s Time For NYC To Go ZEV

NYC Council Committee on Environmental Protection Holds Hearing on the Zero Emission Vehicles for NYC Act - accelerating and mandating the conversion of the largest municipal fleet in the country to ZEVs

New York, NY - Today, as the New York City Council Committee on Environmental Protection held its first hearing on the Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) for NYC Act (Intro 279), environmental advocacy groups, clean energy and micromobility industry leaders, and elected officials announced their support for this transformational bill that would require NYC to convert its entire fleet of 30,000+ vehicles to ZEVs. Working on an accelerated timeline that begins in 2025, the bill would mandate the full conversion of all municipal vehicle purchases by July 1, 2035, making NYC the largest municipal fleet in the nation to transition to 100% ZEVs.

Sponsored by NYC Council Member Keith Powers, the bill already has the support of supermajority of 37 council members. Despite having the largest municipal fleet in the country, the city lags behind other major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle with only 3% of its fleet being zero emission vehicles. The lack of progress presents a significant challenge to fighting climate change inducing pollution and transitioning to a clean energy economy, as transportation accounts for 41% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which is the city’s second largest source of emissions (after buildings). In addition to protecting the health and climate sustainability for millions of New Yorkers, the ZEV for NYC Act would also generate a significant amount of jobs in the charging and clean energy infrastructure industry, as well as save money for the city because the average maintenance costs for ZEVs are 22% less than gas-powered vehicles.

“New York City is a global leader in the fight against climate change, and with Intro 279, we can put our city’s goal of electrifying our 30,000 vehicle fleet on the fast track,” said Majority Leader Powers. “With this legislation, we can reduce harmful emissions, improve air quality for our communities, reduce spending in the long term, and set a strong precedent for cities across the country. I’m proud to sponsor this legislation to build a more sustainable future for our city.” 

“Moving the City’s vehicle fleet toward zero emission is critical for improving the environment and expanding New York’s electric vehicle infrastructure. Expanding infrastructure will lead to other innovations in multi-modal transportation and ways of doing business. I am proud to co-sponsor this bill with Majority Leader Keith Powers and the majority of my Council colleagues,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera (D-02).

“New York City has the largest public fleet of any city in the entire country, making the passage of this legislation to get to 100% zero-emission vehicles a big deal. We must move our buses and trucks away from fossil fuels and ensure that our communities, especially the most overburdened ones, can breathe cleaner air and be free from vehicle pollution. The vehicles on our roads that help us deliver essential goods and transport kids to school should not be contributing to the climate crisis and making people sick, and NYC has an opportunity to change that right now,” said Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz.

“New York City’s municipal fleet has made strides with hybrid and electrification, but has the opportunity to lead on a just transition away from fossil fuels. Over the summer, our office found that the City spent over $100million in motor fuel for its nearly 30,000 vehicles last fiscal year. As New York City’s transportation ecosystem becomes less dependent on gas, our fleet will become more green and save green if shifted to all-electric, combined with downsizing the number of vehicles,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.

"We are in the midst of a fossil-fuel-created climate emergency, made increasingly clear by the growing number of extreme weather events. Frontline communities like the South Bronx have borne the brunt of this crisis, particularly through disproportionate exposure to environmental pollution, which has caused illnesses ranging from asthma and heart disease to cognitive impairment and dementia. The Zero Emission Vehicles Bill is a step towards addressing this pollution burden and injustice. We urge the City Council to do what’s only right and pass the bill." said Arif Ullah, Executive Director of South Bronx Unite.

"This bill makes progress in electrifying the dirtiest vehicles on the road — heavy-duty trucks and buses. Exposure to the pollution emitted by these vehicles, including those operated by New York City, is responsible for the premature death of nearly 170 New Yorkers each year, according to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. With over 130 zero-emissions truck and bus models available today, the City Council should not delay in delivering much-needed reductions in lung-damaging and climate-warming air pollution. California's Advanced Clean Fleets regulation would require municipalities to begin purchasing zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles in 2027, three and a half years before the NYC ZEV bill deadline." said Sam Wilson, Senior Vehicles Analyst Union of Concerned Scientists.

“Intro 279 is a critical step in ensuring New York City reaches not only municipal climate goals, but also our state climate mandates. The electrification of the municipal fleet and the acceleration for purchasing zero-emissions school buses will work to alleviate the disproportionate toxic air pollution present in our environmental justice communities and ensure students, particularly students with disabilities, are being transported in a healthier environment. While we applaud the ambitious language in the bill, we would also urge the City Council to consider amendments with tightened waiver criteria and ensure this waiver is not applicable to the procurement of school buses.” said Kyra Armstrong, Environmental Justice Staff Attorney, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.

"Charge Enterprises supports the New York City Municipal Zero-Emissions Vehicles Bill. We are headquartered in New York City, nearly 150 of our employees live in the State of New York, and are eager to help the City accelerate its deployment of charging infrastructure. I believe that this bill is an important piece of legislation for New York City, and it can be a model for cities intent on being proactive and getting ahead of the inevitable transition from oil to electricity," said Andrew Fox Chief Executive Officer and Founder Charge Enterprises, Inc. 

"Tarform is a NYC-based mobility company. We manufacture aesthetically-pleasing high performance electric motorcycles at our facilities in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. NYC is our home market, and we urge the City government and local businesses to pick up the pace in switching to zero-emission vehicles. This bill will not only make NYC greener, it will enhance its reputation as an attractive location for businesses whose core missions are to advance sustainability. We strongly support the NYC ZEV Bill," said Taras Kravtchouk CEO and founder Tarform Inc. 

“By converting New York City's municipal fleet to ZEVs, Intro 279 uses one of the strongest levers available to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and encourages the private sector to continue investing in the EV revolution," said Haley Rubinson, Revel’s Vice President for Corporate Affairs. "We applaud Council Members Powers and Rivera and the Environmental Protection Committee for advancing this important climate bill, and strongly urge the Council to pass it into law."

"NineDot Energy fully supports New York City’s passage of the NYC Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicles Bill (ZEV4NYC). We believe the City will significantly improve its local environment and enhance the lives of its citizens by implementing this new legislation, while demonstrating leadership towards urban decarbonization and environmental justice. As part of this effort, NineDot will continue to assist the City's energy transition by deploying clean energy infrastructure through our community-scale battery storage projects with EV-charging capabilities,” said David Arfin, CEO and co-founder, NineDot Energy.

Making NYC a global leader in tackling urban emissions, Intro 279 specifically would:

• Address light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles by mandating that the entire NYC fleet must be converted to ZEVs by July 1, 2035. 
• Include purchasing deadlines of July 1, 2025 (when NYC must first start purchasing only zero-emission light-duty and medium-duty vehicles) and July 1, 2030 (when NYC must first start purchasing only zero-emission heavy duty vehicles) in order to meet the 2035 ZEV full conversion deadline.