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Urban Freight Lab

Research Keyword: Zero-Emissions Delivery

Report

The State of Zero-Emissions Delivery in the U.S.

 
Download PDF  (3.33 MB)
Publication Date: 2025
Summary:

We have seen major changes in the last few years as cities and companies in the United States transition to more environmentally sustainable urban delivery. But progress still remains piecemeal and slow. In both policy and practice on city streets, Europe and parts of Asia are far ahead of the U.S. in advancing electrification, shifting away from traditional trucks to smaller forms like e-bikes, and managing city space to induce or support zero emission delivery (ZED).

This paper captures the state of policy and practice of zero emission delivery in the U.S. as of January 2025. It offers a baseline for future work and surfaces levers U.S. cities can consider using to advance ZED. In this report, researchers from the Urban Freight Lab at the University of Washington created a policy and practice framework based on their expertise, review and synthesis of academic literature, current technology and private sector achievements. Via the framework, the research team identifies a three-legged stool of approaches needed to achieve or advance zero emission delivery in the United States.

These three vital areas for progress on ZED are:

  1. Electrification
  2. Mode Shift and Behavior Change, and
  3. Real Estate and Space Management

For some, these three key building blocks and the myriad elements discussed in this report may not have been linked as levers to catalyze ZED.

The report is divided into three sections, one for each of the key areas above. Each area has an overview of the current state of practice and associated trends, followed by both public sector-led and private-sector-led examples of the approach under discussion. All examples focus on real-world implementation (both domestic and international), showcasing ZED and/or providing a realistic pathway to advance ZED. And all examples focus a lens squarely on cities.

In the process of compiling this summary of the state of practice of ZED, the research team synthesized key takeaways for cities to consider in Electrification, Mode Shift and Behavior Change, and Real Estate and Space Management.

Authors: Urban Freight Lab
Recommended Citation:
Rula, K, Schnaiberg, L, Maxner, T, Shafiei Nia, H, Goodchild, A. (2025) The State of Zero Emission Delivery in the United States. Urban Freight Lab, University of Washington.

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) City Climate Innovation Challenge

Led by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the City Climate Innovation Challenge supports a national cohort of cities advancing climate goals through zero-emissions delivery (ZED) strategies that reduce freight emissions and improve air quality.

The Urban Freight Lab is a core technical and research partner, leading the project’s research and policy efforts with Cityfi. Our role includes developing a national outcomes and evaluation framework, analyzing and designing policy and business models, supporting pilot deployments, and evaluating results. This work will culminate in a national ZED Business and Policy Model Toolkit, a practical resource that cities across the U.S. can use to replicate and scale effective zero-emissions delivery solutions.

Background

The City Climate Innovation Challenge is a program to help cities across the country incorporate innovation to achieve climate goals related to specific priority topics. In January 2024, LACI announced the cities joining our anchor partners of Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Santa Monica. They are Louisville, KY; Miami-Dade County, FL; New York City, NY; Oakland, CA; Portland, OR; and Washington D.C. LACI and partners like the Urban Freight Lab and Cityfi, will help these cities to develop solutions accelerating the move to zero emissions delivery, reducing emissions from predominantly dirty, diesel trucks moving goods from first mile to last mile–which predominantly impact low income, disadvantaged communities.

In budget period 1, the project will develop an outcomes and evaluation framework for community-centered ZED pilots; analyze and map ideal charging sites in two or more select cities to lay the groundwork for integrated ZED pilots and charging infrastructure deployment; develop public and private sector business model options and policy designs specific to goods movement incentives, pricing and enforcement; and deploy community-driven ZED pilots and charging infrastructure in two or more cities to test business and policy models.

In budget period 2, the team will deploy community-driven ZED pilots and charging infrastructure in two or more cities to test business and policy models; analyze pilots with focus on business model and policy performance; and produce a Zero Emission Delivery Business and Policy Model Platform for cities across the country to utilize in adapting and replicating best practices for scaling zero emission delivery solutions.

Urban Freight Lab Scope of Work

Task 1 – Create a bench of innovation partners that will deploy in two or more cohort cities to test pilot efficacy and administration

Task 2 – Develop an outcomes and evaluation framework for community-centered charging and ZED pilots

Task 3 – Summarize policy, business model, and operating model landscape for ZED

Deliverable: Create a detailed research report on the state of zero emission delivery in the U.S.

Task 5 – Develop policy designs and interventions specific to incentives, pricing and enforcement

Task 6 – Public and private business model ideation

Task 7 – Develop zero emission delivery policy pilot and charging infrastructure deployment plans for two or more ZED City Challenge cities to test policies, business models, and charging infrastructure.

Deliverable: Document pilot plans for ZED City Challenge cities

Task 12 – Analyze pilot, business model, and policy performance and document effectiveness

Task 13 – Produce ZED Business and Policy Model Platform Toolkit