On Thursday, October 1, Union Square served as a showcase for the evolving clean transportation landscape as fleet operators, public agencies, manufacturers, technology providers, and industry stakeholders gathered for the Empire Clean Vehicle Festival, hosted by Empire Clean Cities (ECC) in collaboration with its public- and private-sector partners.
The annual event featured a broad range of technologies aimed at reducing emissions across commercial transportation, including electric trucks, alternative-fuel vehicles, electric cargo bikes, school buses, street sweepers, and mobile charging and energy-storage systems. Together, these exhibits highlighted the diversity of solutions available to fleets and the progress being made across New York City’s transportation sector and beyond.
Public-sector fleet electrification was well represented. Our event partner, New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (NYC DCAS), showcased its new electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz, while the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) displayed a Chevrolet Blazer EV. New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and NYC DCAS also displayed electric pickup trucks currently deployed in their fleets, including a Chevrolet Silverado EV from DSNY. Northeast Sweepers demonstrated an electric street sweeper, highlighting the expansion of zero-emission technologies into specialized applications.
Commercial and utility fleets showcased a range of cleaner vehicle technologies, including Con Edison’s Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup, a renewable diesel-powered heavy-duty truck from Sprague Energy, and an electric Freightliner truck from Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors. The displays demonstrated how fleet operators are adopting different technologies to meet their operational needs while working to reduce transportation emissions.
Supporting technologies were also on display, including a portable solar battery trailer from 24/7 Clean Power, demonstrating how mobile energy storage and renewable power solutions can complement cleaner vehicles and support evolving fleet operations.
The passenger transportation segment included a Harbinger-Sevna Evolve cutaway electric shuttle bus from Hendrickson Fleet Solutions and a new electric school bus from NYC School Bus Umbrella Services, which highlighted the growing range of electric options for passenger and student transportation.
One of the most exciting developments at this year’s festival was the expanded presence of electric cargo bikes and compact commercial delivery vehicles, with more models on display than ever before. These vehicles are gaining attention as practical alternatives for urban deliveries, particularly in a dense city like New York, where congestion, limited curb space, and delivery costs present ongoing challenges. . Fulpra US and Subzero Technologies showcased a jointly developed electric utility quad bike equipped with a refrigerated cargo box, demonstrating the potential for zero-emission, temperature-controlled last-mile delivery. Fastport Honda demonstrated an electric cargo vehicle configured for urban commercial applications, while Mubea U-Mobility showcased an electric utility quad bike highlighting compact, zero-emission mobility for commercial and fleet operations.
The variety of equipment underscored a key point for fleet operators: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reducing transportation emissions. Factors such as driving conditions, cargo needs, infrastructure, operating costs, and route characteristics all play a role in determining the right solution. By bringing these technologies together in one place, the festival gave fleet operators and other attendees an opportunity to explore different approaches, connect directly with manufacturers, and learn from organizations already putting cleaner transportation solutions into practice.
From Demonstration to Deployment
The Empire Clean Vehicle Festival is an annual collaboration between Empire Clean Cities (ECC) and New York City agencies, including NYC DCAS, New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), DSNY, PANYNJ and New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks). Beyond the equipment on display, the festival highlighted projects putting clean transportation technologies into real-world service.
ECC is advancing a range of successful projects across New York City that demonstrate innovative approaches to zero-emission transportation, sustainable freight movement, and equitable economic development. Among these efforts is the Bronx Is Breathing initiative, a collaboration with Volvo Trucks North America and City Harvest focused on reducing truck emissions in Hunts Point while supporting economic opportunity in the South Bronx. As part of the initiative, City Harvest has integrated three Volvo VNR Electric trucks into its New York City food rescue fleet.
Building on these efforts to advance cleaner transportation and more sustainable freight movement, ECC is also leading the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Sustainable Last-Mile Delivery in Dense Metros project, in partnership with U.S. Coastal Service, Net Zero Logistics, Fulpra US, Barretto Bay Strategies, Freight Matters, and NYC agencies. The initiative combines waterborne freight transportation with electric cargo quads for last-mile deliveries across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx. The model uses New York City’s waterways to transport freight by vessel before transferring shipments to electric Fulpra Quatros for final delivery, an approach designed to reduce roadway congestion and emissions while demonstrating new possibilities for urban freight movement.
For the trucking and fleet industries, the Empire Clean Vehicle Festival offered a look at how electrification, alternative fuels, and new logistics models are moving from emerging technologies toward practical fleet applications. Just as importantly, it brought the manufacturers, operators, agencies, and technology providers together to discuss what it will take to scale those solutions across New York City.
