Electrifying Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleets

This report by the Electrifying Canada task force outlines the necessity and pathways for electrifying medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) fleets in Canada to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It identifies key barriers—such as vehicle supply, charging infrastructure, and financing—and proposes four catalysts to accelerate adoption: near-term corporate planning, proactive utility alignment, government ZEV mandates, and innovative public-private financing.

• Transportation is a primary driver of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, with emissions from this sector being the second highest after the oil and gas sector. To reach net-zero by 2050, a significant shift is required where electricity powers the majority or all of on-road MHDVs.
• The federal government has established targets for MHDV electrification, intending for 35% of total MHDV sales to be zero-emission by 2030 and 100% for specific vehicle types by 2040. This aligns with a Global Memorandum of Understanding signed by 14 other countries targeting 100% ZEV sales by 2040.
• Corporate MHDV electrification faces three primary barriers: limited OEM manufacturing capacity leading to long waitlists or a lack of viable models for niche classes; electrical capacity concerns at depots and uncertainty regarding public charging deployment; and high upfront capital costs combined with a lack of internal expertise for planning and maintenance.
• The report proposes four catalysts to accelerate electrification. First, businesses must translate long-term targets into near-term plans and pilots. Second, utilities and planning authorities must proactively align grid investments with net-zero pathways to ensure sufficient power supply and manage peak demand.
• A third catalyst is the establishment of ZEV sales mandates by federal and provincial governments to provide market certainty for OEMs and utilities. The report notes that Canada often looks to California's Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation as a model, which targets 100% ZEV short-haul and drayage trucks by 2035.
• The final catalyst involves using public-private-Indigenous collaborations to create innovative financing products. This aims to mitigate project risk and address the high upfront costs of vehicles and infrastructure, particularly for niche sectors and small fleets.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2022). Electrifying Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleets. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/electrifying-medium-heavy-duty-fleets-en.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Electrifying Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleets. 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/electrifying-medium-heavy-duty-fleets-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Electrifying Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleets |date=May 2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/electrifying-medium-heavy-duty-fleets-en.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2022electrifying, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Electrifying Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleets}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-05/electrifying-medium-heavy-duty-fleets-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }