Cutting emissions from city freight
Freight vehicles cause up to 40%[1] of transport-related carbon emissions in cities and are a major source of fine particulate pollution that harms children’s lung development and people’s health.
As last-mile deliveries (the final leg from distribution hub to doorstep) are predicted to increase by nearly 80% by 2030[2], cities need proven strategies to transition to zero-emission freight. The C40 Zero Emission Freight Programme helps cities implement policies that cut freight emissions while enabling businesses to thrive.
What cities are achieving
Cities in the programme are testing and implementing policies that deliver measurable results:
The world’s first zero-emission zones for freight
Amsterdam and Rotterdam launched zero-emission zones in January 2025: areas where only zero-emission freight vehicles can enter. 14 Dutch municipalities are cutting CO2 emissions, improving air quality, and reducing congestion, with 15 more municipalities planning similar zones.
EV freight corridors
Bengaluru and Chennai have trialled India’s first full-scale demonstration of an EV freight corridor, with 20 electric trucks covering over 350km between the two cities, as part of C40’s Laneshift initiative. The demonstration is providing real-world operational and cost data that has already secured long-term EV freight contracts, accelerating the electrification of trucking in India.
Proven clean air zone results
London operates Europe’s largest low-emission zone (ULEZ), which provides incentives for drivers to switch to clean energy vehicles. Since 2019, roadside nitrogen dioxide levels have decreased by 27%.
Commercial EV charging hubs
Mexico City has launched the country’s largest multipurpose public EV charging hub for commercial fleets in the country as part of C40’s Laneshift initiative. Developed as part of a strategic alliance with VEMO, the demonstration project is hosting technical visits and onboarding carriers to conduct on-site tests with e-trucks.
Commercial e-cargo bike programmes
Seattle launched its Commercial E-Cargo Bike Program in 2025 to achieve 30% zero-emission deliveries by 2030. The programme created legal definitions for e-cargo bikes, annual permit structures, and curbside access for loading and unloading. London launched Europe’s first cargo bike action plan: cargo bike use across London increased 104% from 2022 to 2024[3].
Supporting small businesses to switch to electric trucks
Bogotá launched the District Fund for the Promotion of Technological Updating of Urban Cargo Transport in the Capital District (Foncarga) as part of C40’s Laneshift initiative. The fund seeks to improve air quality by replacing polluting freight vehicles over 20 years old with new zero- or low-emission vehicles through non-refundable economic incentives.
Microhubs and zero-emission delivery zones
Toronto is piloting microhubs where trucks unload cargo for transfer to bikes and handcarts for final delivery. Portland tested the first regulated Zero Emission Delivery Zones in the U.S., with loading spaces in the zone exclusively for zero-emission vehicles.
Comprehensive freight planning
Stockholm published its Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan in 2024, focusing on charging infrastructure, leveraging city regulation and procurement, facilitating cargo bikes and microhubs, and shifting freight from road to rail and water.
How the programme works
Cities receive support to develop, pilot, and implement freight policies. This includes:
Technical assistance for policy development and implementation, from designing vehicle restrictions to planning charging infrastructure.
Peer learning networks connecting transportation and sustainability officials across cities to share implementation challenges and solutions.
Practical tools for curbside management, freight data collection, and monitoring progress toward emission reduction targets.
Expert connections linking cities with academics, private sector partners, and technical specialists working on freight decarbonisation.Pilot project support helping cities test innovative solutions like microhubs and cargo bike programmes before scaling them citywide.
Cities in the programme
Amsterdam, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Montréal, New York City, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington D.C., London, Madrid, Milan, Oslo, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Warsaw.
Laneshift: accelerating electric freight in India and Latin America
Through the Laneshift initiative, C40 Cities and The Climate Pledge are working together to accelerate zero-emission freight in India and Latin America.
Laneshift focuses on:
- Addressing regulatory barriers to electric vehicle adoption
- Running pilot projects that prove technical and economic feasibility
- Resolving vehicle supply and financing challenges
- Ensuring an equitable transition to electric freight
Cities in the Laneshift programme receive funding for electric truck development and charging infrastructure, plus technical support for policy implementation.
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Resources
RELATED
The ZEBRA partnership was launched in 2019 to accelerate the deployment of zero emission buses in major Latin American cities.Accelerating the transition to zero-emission buses across Latin America and Africa through city leadership, national government engagement, industry partnerships, and financial investments.
Laneshift, an initiative from C40 and The Climate Pledge, is working to accelerate the transition to electric freight in Brazil, Mexico, and India.
