Illinois EPA Opens Clean Trucks Program With $3.9 Million for Fleet Electrification

Illinois has committed $3.94 million to help fleet operators replace diesel trucks with battery-electric models, launching the effort through a Clean Trucks Program run by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The Springfield-based agency opened the program with two components: a $3 million Clean Fleet and Freight Concierge Service and $935,220 in grant funding for diesel truck replacement. Both sit under the agency's broader Driving a Cleaner Illinois initiative, which pairs technical assistance with direct financial incentives aimed at the upfront cost of electrification.

"The Clean Trucks Program will provide individualized support to fleets that may be interested in transitioning from diesel to electric but aren't sure where to start," Illinois EPA Director James Jennings said in a statement. The agency wants every fleet operator, regardless of size, to have access to credible information and technical assistance, he said.

Who funds each piece?

The two efforts draw on separate federal funding streams, each with its own agency and purpose behind it.

• The $3 million concierge service is funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program. Illinois EPA received the federal funding in 2024 to support deployment of zero-emission commercial vehicles and charging infrastructure.
• The $935,220 in grant money comes from the federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which allows participating states to fund grant, rebate and loan programs that cut diesel emissions.

Illinois EPA is now seeking qualified firms to run the concierge service. The contractor will help small and medium-sized fleets explore electric vehicles and the charging equipment they require.

Where does the service operate?

The concierge service covers the northern and southern regions of Illinois. The agency defines those regions by the electric grids that serve them: PJM in the north and MISO in the south. PJM and MISO are regional grid operators that manage the flow of electricity across multiple states.

The regional split matters for fleets planning charging infrastructure, since interconnection rules, capacity queues and retail rates differ between the two grid operators.

What trucks are eligible?

A Notice of Funding Opportunity posted on the Driving a Cleaner Illinois webpage sets the replacement terms. The funds can cover up to 45% of the cost of replacing eligible diesel-powered Class 5-8 trucks with new battery-electric models.

Class 5-8 covers medium- and heavy-duty trucks starting at about 16,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight. That range captures the delivery vans, refuse trucks and freight haulers that account for a large share of fleet diesel consumption.

The agency said the funds will help fleets reduce local air pollution and shield operations from volatile diesel prices. It described the two efforts as the start of a push to pair hands-on, fleet-specific guidance with financial incentives that address the upfront costs of electrification.

What comes next?

The immediate milestones are procurement and application. Illinois EPA must select the firm that will operate the concierge service, and fleet operators must respond to the Notice of Funding Opportunity to draw down the $935,220 in replacement grants.

The agency directs operators to the Driving a Cleaner Illinois and Climate Pollution Reduction Grant webpages, or to contact the Driving a Cleaner Illinois team directly.

Illinois EPA was created in 1970 under the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. The agency says it is the longest-standing state environmental protection agency in the country.

How quickly the contractor selection proceeds, and how much of the DERA allocation fleets claim, will determine whether Illinois expands the program beyond its initial $3.94 million commitment.