Early Results from GMA’s First Trucking RFP Signal Robust Market for Heavy-duty, Zero-emission Vehicles (ZEVs)

The (preliminary) results are in.

Since launching in 2023, GMA Trucking continues to make major strides in activating the market for zero-emission road freight. The response period for our pilot procurement for zero-emission trucking attributes recently closed, and we’re excited to share that the overall response from carriers has exceeded our expectations.

By the numbers:

With 36 distinct bids from 9 different U.S. carriers, the pilot RFP received more bid volume than our initial expectation, with nearly 900,000,000 annual ton-miles from 760 zero-emission trucks, equivalent to about 145,000 tonnes CO2e abated annually. This demonstrates that carriers, working with OEMs and charging companies, are ready to provide zero emission trucking services when incentivized by appropriate demand signals and market flexibility.

Bids for “net-new” vehicles – defined as vehicles not currently in operation that would be deployed to meet the GMA Trucking RFP demand – made up 69% of bids and comprised 97% of the annual ton-mile volume.

The RFP received bids from 14 states, with bid volumes equally split between California and non-California bids. This geographic diversity, combined with more flexibility in shipping routes, demonstrates the positive influence that a book and claim mechanism can have in spreading zero emission trucking beyond states with more favorable policy incentives and existing charging infrastructure. By engaging with our approach, carriers are able to deploy where it makes the most sense, lowering their overall ZEV operating costs and increasing the emission reduction impact.

What’s next:

The GMA Trucking team has begun the bid evaluation process. We plan to arrive at a shortlist by early June, followed by final selection and contracting. Attributes from these zero emission trucking routes could begin flowing as early as 2026.

While deeper analysis is ongoing, our initial review of responses reveals a strong and consistent message: both the buyer and seller sides of the market are ready for zero-emission trucks.  By combining the aggregated demand of our climate-ambitious members with a high integrity book and claim approach, GMA Trucking, alongside strategic partner Smart Freight Centre, is helping accelerate the transition to net-zero heavy duty trucking. We look forward to announcing the pilot RFP winners later this year.

This RFP represents just the first of many planned future procurements. The GMA Trucking program is growing, and we continue to welcome new organizations as members of the buyers alliance. To explore GMA Trucking membership and gain access to current and future purchase opportunities for zero emission trucking service attributes, email trucking@gmacenter.org.

To learn more about GMA Trucking and how we work, see our recent explainer video: