The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has launched a Clean Trucks Program aimed at helping Illinois fleets transition to zero-emission vehicles, the agency announced Nov. 2.
The program includes two major initiatives: $3 million for a new Clean Fleet and Freight Concierge Service and $935,220 in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant funding to help operators replace older diesel vehicles with zero-emission alternatives.
"Illinois EPA is committed to giving our state's fleet operators the tools, guidance, and financial assistance they need to meet their logistical objectives while furthering the state's climate goals," said Illinois EPA Director James Jennings. He said the program will provide individualized support to fleets interested in switching from diesel to electric but unsure where to start.
The concierge service
The $3 million Clean Fleet and Freight Concierge Service is funded through federal money the Illinois EPA received in 2024 from the U.S. EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program to support zero-emission commercial vehicle and infrastructure deployment statewide.
The agency is seeking qualified firms to launch the service and support small- to medium-sized fleets across the Northern and Southern Regions of Illinois, defined as the regions served primarily by the PJM and MISO utility grids. The concierge will help fleets explore electric vehicles and their associated charging infrastructure. The state says the contracts are worth an estimated $3 million.
The grants
A Notice of Funding Opportunity has been posted to the state's Driving a Cleaner Illinois webpage, making $935,220 available to help fleet operators cover up to 45% of the costs of replacing eligible diesel-powered Class 5-8 trucks with new battery-electric options. The State DERA Program lets participating states support grant, rebate and loan programs to reduce diesel emissions.
Both efforts are part of the broader Driving a Cleaner Illinois initiative. The agency says the investments are meant to pair fleet-specific information with financial incentives to address the upfront costs of electrification and to insulate operations from volatile diesel fuel prices.
For more information
For more information on these and other funding opportunities, the agency directs the public to the Driving a Cleaner Illinois webpage, the CPRG Program webpage, or the Driving a Cleaner Illinois team at epa.deragrants@illinois.gov.
Source: the original release