The Clean Trucks Program will support Illinois fleet operators with $3 million for the new Clean Fleet and Freight Concierge Service and $935,000 from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA).
“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. “The Clean Trucks Program will provide individualised support to fleets that may be interested in transitioning from diesel to electric but aren’t sure where to start. With this program, Illinois EPA will help ensure that every fleet operator, regardless of size, has access to credible information and technical assistance to help them lower emissions, reduce fuel costs, and strengthen Illinois’ clean transportation future.”
The state environmental protection agency says the new investments mark the beginning of its efforts “to pair hands-on, fleet-specific information with meaningful financial incentives to address the upfront costs of electrification.”
Qualified firms are now being sought out to launch the Concierge Service and support small- to medium-sized fleets across the Northern and Southern Regions of the state. The Illinois EPA defines these regions as those served primarily by the PJM and MISO utility grids.
A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted, announcing that $935,220 in funding will support Illinois fleet operators to cover up to 45 per cent of costs associated with replacing diesel-powered class 5-8 trucks with fully electric options.
At the same time, an interactive map of electric charging stations has been funded by the state, where electric truck drivers can view more than 450 public electric vehicle charging stations. This includes stations funded by the Illinois EPA’s Driving a Cleaner Illinois Program and the Illinois Department of Transportation’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI). The map has filters for Level 2 vs Level 3 (for DC fast charging) ports and site types, among other elements.
As part of Volkswagen’s settlement following the Dieselgate affair, the German automotive giant is funding round 9, which releases up to $18,000,000 in Volkswagen funding for all-electric class 4-8 local freight trucks. Applications and the NOFO are accessible on Illinois’ GATA webpage.
Illinois has had a number of initiatives to electrify its transport sector. In 2025, a district judge in Seattle ruled that the Trump administration must release funds that had been withheld for the construction of charging stations for electric vehicles in 14 states, including California, New York, Illinois and Washington.
