If the region surrounding Chicago — North America’s largest freight hub — shifted just 30% of its current on-road heavy-duty vehicles to electric versions, it would substantially reduce pollution and save hundreds of lives per year, with the benefits largely concentrated in disadvantaged communities, according to a new Northwestern University-led study.
The study authors highlight that neighborhoods with predominantly Black, Hispanic and Latinx residents would benefit the most — potentially reducing disproportionate pollution and health burdens in historically marginalized areas.
Although the study specifically focuses on the lower Great Lakes region (including Chicago, Milwaukee and Grand Rapids, Michigan), these findings hint that electrifying heavy-duty vehicles across the nation could help reduce long-standing environmental injustices related to pollutant impact disparities in major metropolitan areas.
Read more at: Northwestern University