CALSTART, Inc.

Freight Electrification-as-a-Service for Transformation (FEaST) provides the building blocks of a self-sustaining movement toward heavy-duty electrification. Electric trucks decouple freight movement from diesel emissions, but must overcome prohibitive upfront costs and an underprepared workforce. Electrification as-a-service transfers the capital costs of electrification to operating budgets, and FEaST leverages prize funding to simulate cost reductions anticipated in coming years to preview how third-party capital can unlock electrification at scale. FEaST also features a first-of-its-kind workforce partnership to provide paid training so the next generation of workers can support truck market transformation.

This project will undertake two electric truck deployments to pilot and validate separate variants of truck electrification-as-a-service models. Anheuser Busch will deploy 10 all-electric tractors at its Hunts Point depot. eTransEnergy will configure all charging infrastructure, provide energy management services, and will finance all trucks, chargers, and utility expenses. NFI will operate 4 all-electric tractors from its distribution center in Wurtsboro to service delivery routes to Kohl's retail stores in or near disadvantaged communities between Sullivan County and New York City. Daimler Trucks Financial Services will finance the trucks and associated chargers from Detroit eFill, and will partner with Ideanomics for energy management. ChargerHelp will develop curricula for EVSE technicians, leveraging its own technical expertise, and NYC Department of Small Business Services (NYCSBS) will leverage its curricula investments for electric vehicle technicians, offering 200 paid training opportunities total. NYCSBS and Green City Force (GCF) will lead recruitment efforts to ensure disadvantaged communities have priority access to these offerings. Trucking Association of New York (TANY), Empire Clean Cities (ECC), and CALSTART will further engaged industry members across the supply chain to bridge workforce supply and demand..