Alumni Stories - Central City Concern
Central City Concern's Road to a Cleaner Fleet
How one Portland nonprofit hit its 2027 electrification goal a year early, with support from the Breaking Barriers Collaborative.
Central City Concern (CCC) provides essential services to some of Portland's most vulnerable residents, work that depends on a fleet of vehicles running every day, rain or shine. In 2023, CCC set an ambitious goal: transition its fleet away from gas-powered (ICE) vehicles to electric. With guidance and hands-on technical assistance from the Breaking Barriers Collaborative's Fleet Electrification Accelerator, CCC didn't just meet that goal, they beat it by a full year.
This case study walks through what that journey looked like: the challenges, the tools that helped, and the results CCC is seeing today.
Watch to learn how CCC used Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) support to help fund the buildout, and see the charging stations that now power their fleet on-site.
In Their Own Words: CCC's Electrification Story
In this short film, CCC's Director of Climate Action Rachel Maas and Fleet Manager James Ruenz walk through what fleet electrification has looked like on the ground, from installing charging infrastructure to what it's actually like driving an EV on daily routes. You'll hear directly from the team on why they joined BBC's Accelerator program, how the DRVE tool helped them plan their transition, and what surprised them most along the way (spoiler: people are very curious about the frunk).
CCC's Journey: The Facts
2023 — CCC joins the Breaking Barriers Collaborative's Fleet Electrification Accelerator cohort.
2024 — CCC begins fleet electrification planning, working through curriculum tools like DRVE to map out routes, charging needs, and vehicle replacement timelines.
2025 — Charging infrastructure goes live at CCC's Clean Fleet Depot, with 26 chargers installed on-site.
2026 — CCC reaches its fleet electrification goal a full year ahead of its original 2027 target.
By the numbers
1 year early — CCC hit its electrification goal ahead of schedule
26 chargers installed at CCC's Clean Fleet Depot
~$1,000/month in fuel and electricity savings
Funded in part by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF)
Why it mattered to CCC
"Without BBC's Fleet Electrification Accelerator, we wouldn't have had the tools, or the language, to make the case to leadership and grant makers to get us where we are today." — James Ruenz, Fleet Manager, Central City Concern
Get Involved
Ready to accelerate your fleet's electrification?
CCC is one of dozens of organizations across the Pacific Northwest who've gone through BBC's Fleet Electrification Accelerator. If your organization is exploring EVs for your fleet, we'd love to help you figure out what's possible.
About the Breaking Barriers Collaborative
With the Breaking Barriers Collaborative, Pacific Northwest businesses electrify their fleets faster, more easily, and cost-effectively. Our action-oriented, hands-on programs are for businesses and other organizations ready to realize the many benefits of electrification—from a healthier bottom line to healthier employees and communities.
With informational webinars, MHD-tailored programming, and one-on-one assistance, we are proud to support WAZIP and help Washington businesses access these incentives.
