For Immediate Release

July 23, 2020

Portland, Ore. – Forth has been selected for funding for the St. Louis Vehicle Electrification Rides for Seniors (SiLVERS) Project from the U.S. Department of Energy for Advanced Innovative Vehicle Technologies.

The St. Louis Vehicle Electrification Rides for Seniors (SiLVERS) Project seeks to increase Electric Vehicle adoption and reduce transportation-related operating expenses for social service agencies in low-income communities.

This pilot will demonstrate:

• EV fleets can save social service agencies money on transportation expenses and improve service
• Electric vehicle charging equipment for fleets can also serve employees and community members
• How use of EVs by service agencies can accelerate regional EV adoption
• The use of tools and best practices, which can be replicated nationwide
  
  

The SiLVERS project emerged from work with Forth, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the City of St. Louis, and Bloomberg Philanthropies through the American Cities Climate Challenge.

The City of St. Louis was chosen to participate in the American Cities Climate Challenge, an unprecedented opportunity for 25 communities to significantly deepen and accelerate their efforts to tackle climate change and promote a sustainable future for their residents. As part of the Climate Challenge, St. Louis has advanced a number of transportation and sustainability policies with a focus on energy efficiency and electric vehicles.

“The investments we will make in North and South St. Louis will show that electric vehicles are for everyone,” said Maurice Muia, Climate Advisor for the City of St. Louis, NRDC. “We all deserve the cleaner air that comes from the use of clean cars.”

Forth brings together a number of industry and local partners in this project, including AmpUp, St. Louis Regional Clean Cities Coalition and Ameren.

AmpUp will provide an EV charger sharing platform to serve fleet EVs, employees and community members. AmpUp will perform data collection and analysis to develop a model of financially sustainable fleet electrification.

“AmpUp is excited to work with Forth, the St. Louis Clean Cities Coalition, and local partners to provide EV charging software solutions that will benefit customers and the wider St. Louis community,” said Tim Gavrilovic, Head of Business Development & Co-founder of AmpUp.

Forth and the St. Louis Regional Clean Cities Coalition will disseminate findings via webinars, conferences and regional workshops to publicize results and entice additional cities, organizations and agencies to adopt the model for their own fleets.

Ameren Missouri, the local electric service provider based in St. Louis, will provide incentives to develop the four charging station sites. Their Electric Vehicle Program offers incentives of up to 50% of project cost of installing EV charging stations at multifamily rental properties, workplaces, and public/retail locations around the region.

Forth will work with the City of St. Louis, the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, as well as community organizations such as North Newstead Association, City Seniors, Inc, and Northside Youth and Senior Service Center, Inc. to introduce electric vehicles and charging to their fleets and meet the transportation needs of senior residents with zero-emission vehicles while developing community support and awareness of the program.

“We are honored and look forward to working with the City of St. Louis and all the partners involved in efforts to strengthen the St. Louis community through transportation electrification,” said Sergio Lopez, Program Manager at Forth.

The project is scheduled to launch by the end of 2020 and to last three years. Forth and partners will be working with USDOE to refine plans, budgets, and contracts in the coming months.

Please contact Erin Galiger at ering@forthmobility.org with questions.

###

Forth is a nonprofit organization advancing electric, shared and smart transportation through innovation, demonstration, advocacy, and engagement. For more information, visit forthmobility.org.

Media Contact: Kevin Friedman – kevinf@forthmobility.org 503-381-4085