Growing a Zero-Emissions Transportation Ecosystem in Cincinnati

Cincinnati is developing a local electric transportation ecosystem involving the manufacturing of electric step vans by Workhorse and their adoption by Servall Electric. Servall is transitioning its fleet of 25 to 30 vehicles to electric and participating in the Run on Less – Electric (RoL-e) demonstration. The transition has resulted in a 75 percent reduction in daily fuel costs, dropping from approximately $60 for gas to $15 for electricity. Beyond financial savings, the electric trucks offer driver benefits such as 'one pedal driving' via regenerative braking and a lower vehicle architecture that reduces physical strain on drivers. The document also notes that urban last-mile delivery emissions in the top 100 global cities could increase by over 30 percent by 2030, reaching 25 million tons of CO2 annually.

• Servall Electric is transitioning its fleet of 25 to 30 vehicles to electric, replacing trucks with electric models as they age out. The company is also participating in the Run on Less – Electric (RoL-e) demonstration, which involves 13 companies across North America showcasing zero-emissions delivery through September 19.
• The adoption of electric trucks has led to significant operational cost savings, with fuel expenses decreasing by 75 percent on the first day, moving from $60 per day for gas to approximately $15 per day for electricity.
• Workhorse has redesigned its electric step vans to improve driver ergonomics and maintenance. The vehicles are lower to the ground to reduce the number of steps drivers take daily and utilize a regenerative braking system for 'one pedal driving,' which reduces repetitive motion injuries and knee damage.
• Global urban last-mile delivery emissions are projected to rise by more than 30 percent by 2030, potentially reaching 25 million tons of CO2 emissions annually across the top 100 cities worldwide.

APA

RMI (2021). Growing a Zero-Emissions Transportation Ecosystem in Cincinnati. https://rmi.org/resources/growing-a-zero-emissions-transportation-ecosystem-in-cincinnati/

Chicago

RMI. Growing a Zero-Emissions Transportation Ecosystem in Cincinnati. 2021. https://rmi.org/resources/growing-a-zero-emissions-transportation-ecosystem-in-cincinnati/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Growing a Zero-Emissions Transportation Ecosystem in Cincinnati |date=7 September 2021 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/growing-a-zero-emissions-transportation-ecosystem-in-cincinnati/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2021growing, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Growing a Zero-Emissions Transportation Ecosystem in Cincinnati}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/growing-a-zero-emissions-transportation-ecosystem-in-cincinnati/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }