LACI Launches Second City Climate Innovation Challenge with Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, NYC, LA, and 9 Others, Representing 1 in 5 Americans; New Cohort Will Identify and Deploy Innovations to Help Accelerate More Affordable, Reliable Clean Energy and EV Charging Solutions

In Partnership with C40 and Climate Mayors, LACI's Challenge Helps Local Municipalities Increase Access to Solutions Through Policy, Business Model, and Technology Innovation Sandboxes, Resources, and Peer to Peer Learning

Washington DC Press Conference Highlights Success of E-Bike Delivery Pilot Established During First Challenge, Celebrates 15,000 Zero Emission Deliveries Made to Date in Nation's Capital

LOS ANGELES, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As cities of all sizes seek innovative ways to provide sustainable and affordable transportation for their residents, LACI is excited to announce its second cohort of the City Climate Innovation Challenge (CCIC or City Challenge) aimed at identifying, piloting, and scaling game changing solutions for Light-duty Charging Infrastructure (LUCI) in 16 cities across the United States.

The second Challenge will focus on helping cities increase reliability, affordability, and access to charging for light-duty electric vehicles (EVs) in every community, all while reducing air and climate pollution. Funding for the cohort includes support from The Rockefeller Foundation, State of California, MUFG Bank, New York City Economic Development Corporation, and National Grid.

In partnership with C40 Cities and Climate Mayors, LACI launched the second Challenge to advance solutions that can accelerate EV charging suited for urban settings, such as lamppost, curbside, multi-family home, apartment, workplace, or parking lot charging solutions. As EV adoption grows and more used EVs enter the market, increasing charging powered by available or distributed electrical sources will increase the accessibility and affordability of driving an EV. EV drivers can save up to $1,000 annually in reduced fuel and maintenance costs compared with internal combustion vehicles, with even higher savings for drivers who charge at home and drive more miles. Additional charging infrastructure will support increased EV adoption in the cohort's metropolitan areas, leading to potentially billions in annual fuel and maintenance savings for drivers.

"Through the City Climate Innovation Challenge, LACI is proud to help local governments identify the innovations they need while scaling the best of American entrepreneurship across the country," said LACI President and CEO Matt Petersen. "Through the Challenge, LACI's proven model supports cities to identify, deploy, and deliver cleantech solutions that strengthen local economies—we look forward to working closely with the 16 cities in our second cohort to advance the affordable and reliable charging innovations needed to expand access to clean transportation across the country."

"San Francisco has long been the home of new technology and innovation and we're proud to be part of LACI's City Climate Innovation Challenge," said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. "This partnership is helping us make reliable curbside charging a reality in San Francisco and continue to be a leader in climate innovation."

"Thanks to our partnerships with LACI and C40 Cities, Portland is making EV charging more accessible for all of our community members, especially those who find it more difficult to charge at home because they are renting or live in multifamily housing," Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said. "With our on-going collaboration with private for hire transportation, Portland is able to install these chargers in locations that support Uber, Lyft, and taxi drivers who are looking to make the electric transition. By encouraging the passenger vehicles that drive the most to go electric, this project will benefit our neighborhoods and city as a whole through reduced carbon emissions." 

"The City Climate Innovation Challenge is an exciting opportunity for Atlanta to continue advancing my goal of making us the most EV friendly City in the nation. With our award winning EV Readiness Ordinance in place, Atlanta is positioned to support rapid growth in EV charging," said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. "We are grateful to be part of LACI's City Climate Innovation Challenge, which will provide us with new tools and resources to identify technology and business model innovations that provide more equitable and affordable charging solutions to our City."

"Baltimore is excited to join this partnership focused on community-driven solutions for safer, healthier, more sustainable cities," said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "We know that investing in infrastructure like EV charging is critical, both for residents who drive alternative fuel vehicles, and for all of the neighborhoods that stand to benefit from reduced emissions and cleaner air."

"LACI's City Climate Innovation Challenge is helping DEP test new ideas to clean our air and make life better for people living and working near busy truck routes, industrial areas, and ports," said New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. "This work is about healthier neighborhoods and a more affordable city. We're proud to keep working together on solutions that help New Yorkers and can be shared with other cities."

The 16 cities of the second Cohort include:

• Alexandria, Va.
• Atlanta, Ga.
• Baltimore, Md.
• Chicago, Ill.
• Hayward, Calif.
• Knoxville, Tenn.
• Los Angeles, Calif.
• New York, N.Y.
• Palo Alto, Calif.
• Portland, Ore.
• Salem, Mass.
• San Francisco, Calif.
• San Jose, Calif.
• Seattle, Wash.
• Sonoma, Calif.
• Washington, D.C.

LACI's first City Challenge Cohort focused on zero emission delivery solutions with 9 cities. Solutions delivered in the first cohort included: a last mile e-bike delivery pilot in Washington, DC–which recently reached the milestone of 15,000 zero emission deliveries made (and providing gig delivery drivers 5% more revenue at roughly half the cost, compared to driving a combustion vehicle); a microdelivery hub platform and cargo bike deployment in Portland, Ore.; a community small business charging depot in Oakland, Calif.; zero emission loading zones in Los Angeles, Calif.; and the foundation for a transformative truck regulation In New York, N.Y.; among other advances in each city.

As each city has its own priorities regarding sustainable goods movement, LACI tailored projects to address the specific priorities these cities identified. By leading the formation of these public-private partnerships, LACI provides expertise, capacity, and resources for cities to reach their climate goals, grow their economy, and create jobs. The City Challenge builds on research jointly conducted by LACI and C40, which finds that if cities can be better supported to invite, select, pilot, and scale needed innovation in cities, then by 2030 the U.S. could further reduce GHGs by 35%–or 1.3 GtCO2e–from buildings, transport and waste innovations as well as create a $5 trillion market and other co-benefits (e.g., green job creation, public health improvements, and improved quality of life). 

LACI designed the City Challenge to take advantage of this opportunity and work with cities across the country to invite, pilot and scale innovations that accelerate equitable climate action specific to their local needs.

LACI regularly convenes the Cohort to provide:

• Peer-to-Peer learning across cities: The Cohort will meet regularly to discuss the pilot and policy designs of each city, share best practices, and collaborate.
• Nationwide Amplification: LACI's platform, as well as that of C40, Climate Mayors and other partners, allows for increased awareness to cities not in the cohort.
• Funding for Project: LACI's City Challenge fundraises for cities to deploy and scale climate technology pilots at a time when anticipated federal funding is not materializing to support the implementation of previous zero emission infrastructure plans.
• Corporate Engagement: LACI brings in trusted corporates to provide the private sector perspective on policies and programs, as well as support scoping and match funding of pilots.

In addition to helping the cities reach their sustainability goals, the City Challenge sets up startup companies to receive access to LACI's equity and debt funds designed to give cleantech startups access to affordable capital to grow into new markets.

LACI Contact:
Cameron Edinburgh
818.530.6746
[email protected]

SOURCE LACI