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Residential Clean Technologies Still Make Sense — Even Without Tax Credits
Despite the removal of federal tax credits for clean energy upgrades via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, residential clean technologies in the US continue to offer significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions and cost savings. Using the Green Upgrade Calculator, RMI found that electric vehicles (EVs) generally lead in emissions reductions and cost savings in the West, while air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are most effective for emissions in the Northeast and Midwest and for savings in the South. Rooftop solar provides the highest emissions impact in Hawaii and leads in cost savings in California, Florida, and the Northeast due to high electricity prices and sunlight. The report emphasizes that the most effective state and local programs will target specific household archetypes—such as high-mileage drivers for EVs or delivered-fuel users for ASHPs—and bundle technologies to maximize synergy and savings.
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Document type: Report
Evidence on low-carbon technologies for commercial vehicles
The report examines the decarbonization of the commercial vehicle sector, which contributes 37% of road-transport CO2 emissions. It highlights that technology pathways are shaped by national priorities and geopolitical interests, notes the uncertain cost-competitiveness of long-haul low-carbon trucks, and discusses the tension between OEM diversification and the need for economies of scale.
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Document type: Report
Nigeria’s Year in the Driver’s Seat for Electric Vehicles
Nigeria is positioning itself as an African EV hub by leveraging high vehicle demand and private sector innovation in battery swapping and asset financing. The proposed Electric Vehicle Transition and Green Mobility Bill seeks to drive this shift by mandating 30% local content for EVs by 2030 and providing tax incentives for manufacturers and users. While companies like Spiro and MAX are scaling infrastructure and fleets, the report suggests Nigeria could adopt a more gradual transition from imports to local manufacturing, similar to Rwanda and Ethiopia, to avoid stalling adoption.
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Document type: Report
Hydrogen trucking for India: economics, opportunities, and way forward
The document evaluates the feasibility of fuel cell electric trucks (FCETs) and hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks in India. It finds that while FCETs could be more cost-competitive than diesel trucks in long-haul, heavy-duty applications by 2040, they currently struggle to reach cost parity with battery electric trucks (BETs) due to high hydrogen fuel costs. These costs are driven by production, refueling infrastructure, and an 18% GST. The brief argues that hydrogen trucks are a critical complement to BETs for use cases requiring high payload and minimal downtime. It recommends a coordinated pathway involving capital subsidies, tax rationalization (reducing GST to 5%), and the development of public hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) to unlock the market.
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Document type: Policy brief
Green Shipping Corridors Can Help Scale India’s Green Hydrogen Ecosystem
India is positioning itself as a green hydrogen hub by designating ports like V. O. Chidambaranar (VOC), Paradip, and Deendayal for hydrogen projects. While domestic coastal corridors provide learning opportunities, they lack the scale to be commercially viable, with e-fuel demand on the VOC–Deendayal route estimated at only 19–20 kilotons annually. In contrast, an international corridor linking Rotterdam, India, and Singapore could unlock over 1 million tons of annual e-fuel bunkering demand by 2030. The document highlights that while green methanol vessels have a total cost of ownership (TCO) nearly 80% higher than conventional vessels, IMO incentives and India's low-cost e-fuel production could make ammonia-powered vessels more competitive, potentially reducing TCO by 16% to 28% on routes to Singapore and Rotterdam respectively.
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Document type: Policy brief
Driving down delivery costs Electric two- and three-wheelers in South African last-mile delivery
The document argues that electric micro-mobility is commercially viable for South African last-mile delivery, particularly on high-frequency urban routes. While higher upfront costs (CAPEX) are a barrier, they can be mitigated through leasing, Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS), and Electric Vehicle-as-a-Service (EVaaS) models. The brief highlights that E2Ws can achieve break-even within 7 to 24 months and reduce operating expenses by 30-50% per kilometre compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycles. To achieve significant emissions reductions of 40-60%, the document emphasizes integrating renewable energy into charging infrastructure to offset South Africa's coal-heavy grid. It also identifies the Western Cape's Atlantis SEZ as a developing hub for local micro-EV manufacturing to improve supply chain resilience and affordability.
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Document type: Briefing
Electric Vehicles Are on the Road to Mass Adoption
Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating globally, with many markets passing critical tipping points. In the United States, the total cost of ownership for light-duty EVs is now lower than for gas-powered cars, despite a projected reduction in savings after September 30, 2025, due to the removal of the federal tax credit. Electric medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) trucks are trending toward cost parity with diesel, with some segments expected to reach it by 2028. Furthermore, advancements in battery recycling could potentially eliminate the need for additional mining by 2040 as minerals enter a circular supply chain.
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Document type: Report
Transforming Indonesia’s Transportation
The report outlines a strategy for Indonesia to reach its goal of 13 million electric two-wheelers and 2 million electric four-wheelers by 2030 through a combination of policy, financing, technology adoption, and corporate engagement.
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Document type: Report
DELIVERING AFFORDABILITY
Battery electric heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) are projected to become the most cost-effective freight transport option in most U.S. states by 2030. While current U.S. purchase prices are anomalously high compared to global trends, falling battery costs and operational savings are driving a clear TCO advantage over diesel and hydrogen fuel cell trucks. The report emphasizes that state-level policy leadership—including price transparency, resale value support, and infrastructure credits like California's LCFS—is critical to unlocking these economic benefits.
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Document type: Report
Fleet Electric Vehicle Total Cost of Ownership with and without Federal Tax Credits
RMI analysis indicates that electric vehicles (EVs) are generally more economical for fleets than fossil fuel vehicles, though the extent of this advantage varies by vehicle type and depends heavily on federal commercial vehicle and charger tax credits. While electric paratransit vehicles maintain a TCO advantage even without tax credits, other applications like patrol cars and private security vehicles require tax credits to be more economical than fossil fuel alternatives. For construction contractor and large medium-duty delivery vehicles, TCO parity is only approached or achieved at higher fuel prices (e.g., $3.75/gallon) and with the application of tax credits.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Advancing Green Public Procurement in South Africa
The report examines the state of green public procurement (GPP) in South Africa, noting that while the country lacks dedicated GPP legislation, the Public Procurement Act of 2024 provides a new opening for sustainable development measures. It highlights successful subnational initiatives in the Western Cape and cities like Cape Town and Tshwane, but identifies systemic barriers including a 'fear of the auditor', high perceived 'green premiums', and limited capacity among small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The authors recommend embedding GPP into national law, creating a centralized knowledge platform, and developing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track environmental outcomes.
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Document type: Report
Ready for Work 2.0
The document highlights that while medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) make up only about 10% of US on-road vehicles, they contribute over half of fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions. It reports an exponential increase in zero-emission MHDV registrations from under 1,000 in 2019 to over 27,000 in 2023. The analysis finds that over 85% of MHDVs travel fewer than 100 miles daily, making them suitable for current battery-electric technology. While operational costs for electric trucks are lower, up-front costs remain a barrier for larger models, necessitating continued state and federal policy support and the expansion of charging infrastructure along freight corridors.
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Document type: Executive summary
Ready for Work 2.0
The report analyzes the environmental, health, and economic impacts of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) pollution in the US and advocates for an accelerated transition to battery-electric trucks. It highlights that while MHDVs make up a small fraction of road vehicles, they contribute a disproportionate share of NOx, PM2.5, and greenhouse gas emissions. The document argues that battery-electric vehicles (BETs) are technically and economically superior to hydrogen fuel-cell alternatives for most duty cycles. It details the role of state policies like California's Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation and federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in driving adoption. The report concludes with recommendations for expanding charging infrastructure, implementing indirect source rules for warehouses, and maintaining high-road labor standards during the transition.
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Document type: Report
Budgeting for Net Zero
The document provides a technical framework for calculating the 'cost gap'—the marginal cost differential between clean energy technologies and their conventional benchmarks—for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), offshore wind, solar PV, electric vehicles (EVs), and green hydrogen in India. It outlines the specific input parameters, learning rates, and benchmarks used for each technology. Furthermore, it describes the application of the Green Economy Model (GEM), a system dynamics tool, to simulate how varying levels of public funding (e.g., 30% or 100% of the cost gap) influence India's GDP, employment, and emissions through feedback loops involving energy spending, air pollution, and labor productivity.
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Document type: Report
Transitioning to Sustainable Mass Transportation Systems
The report outlines a comprehensive strategy for transitioning Nigeria's mass transportation to electric buses, emphasizing the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) as the most viable procurement model. It identifies the transport sector as a major emitter, contributing approximately 15% of national greenhouse gas emissions. Using Lagos as a primary case study, the document details technical specifications for e-buses, charging infrastructure requirements, and the financial benefits of a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. It recommends a phased 24-month implementation plan and policy reforms to encourage local assembly and renewable energy integration for charging.
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Document type: Report
Fast-Falling Battery Prices Boost Economic Benefits Expected from Heavy-Duty Vehicle Electrification
The report argues that falling battery prices, driven by economies of scale and innovation (Wright's Law), will make battery electric heavy-duty vehicles (BEHDVs) more affordable than diesel equivalents sooner than previously estimated. Using updated BNEF forecasts, the study finds that by 2030, BEHDVs will be cheaper to purchase than diesel versions for four out of five analyzed vehicle types. This economic shift enhances the total cost of ownership (TCO) advantage and suggests that the benefits of the US EPA's proposed Phase 3 emissions standards are likely to exceed initial predictions.
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Document type: Report
Business Action Checklists
The 'Business Action Checklists' by the We Mean Business Coalition offers a practical framework for companies to decarbonize core operations within two to five years. It focuses on three primary areas: logistics, fleet management, and business travel, providing step-by-step guidance from initial energy measurement and auditing to the implementation of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and sustainable travel policies. The document emphasizes a 'start now, improve over time' approach, prioritizing the reduction of energy demand and the continuous improvement of data quality to manage transition risks and enhance competitiveness.
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Document type: Guide
DRAFT CORPORATE CLIMATE STOCKTAKE: ROAD TRANSPORT
The report analyzes the global transition of road transport to electric vehicles, noting that while passenger EV adoption is on an exponential growth trajectory, freight and emerging markets face significant hurdles. Key barriers include insufficient charging infrastructure, power grid limitations, and high total cost of ownership (TCO) for heavy-duty trucks. The document emphasizes the need for a shift from demand-side subsidies to supply-side policies, such as prioritized permitting for battery production and direct funding for charging networks, to sustain the transition toward net-zero emissions.
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Document type: Report
The Future of the Trucking Industry: Electric Semi-Trucks
The document examines the transition to electric semi-trucks in the U.S., noting that while they offer significant public health benefits and lower total cost of ownership, high upfront costs and limited charging infrastructure remain hurdles. It details how federal legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to accelerate cost parity and infrastructure deployment.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Future of the Trucking Industry: Electric Semi-Trucks
The document outlines the transition of the U.S. trucking industry toward electric semi-trucks, highlighting public health benefits and lower total cost of ownership against challenges like high upfront costs and limited charging infrastructure. It details how federal laws, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as state-level initiatives, are working to achieve cost parity with diesel vehicles and expand charging networks.
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Document type: Fact sheet