Second Round of EV Fast Track Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Funding Incentives Offer $10.4M to Applicants
California Energy Commission’s EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles Project Provides Incentives for
Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Equipment
PASADENA, CA – The second round of the California Energy Commission’s (CEC’s) Energy Infrastructure Incentives for Zero-Emission Commercial Vehicles (EnergIIZE) Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Track funding lane will open at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 17, 2023, with $10.4 million total available for applicants.
One of four funding lane allocations offered by EnergIIZE, EV Fast Track targets fleets with pre-existing commercial battery-electric vehicle commitments: those fleets who have already procured zero-emission medium-duty or heavy-duty (MD/HD) battery-electric vehicle(s), or who have an active purchase order.
EV Fast Track funds cover 50 percent of eligible equipment and software costs, up to a maximum of $500,000 per project. Eligible equipment under EV Fast Track includes level 2 electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), direct current fast-charge (DCFC) EVSE, management software, switchgears, electrical panel upgrades, wiring and conduit, and meters. EV Fast Track funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
EV Fast Track applicants may also receive up to 75 percent of equipment and software costs, not exceeding $750,000 per project, if they qualify for EnergIIZE’s Jump Start equity criteria, which is intended for fleets located in disadvantaged or low-income communities or meet one of several other eligibility requirements.
“The EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles Project’s goal is to facilitate and accelerate the construction of the zero-emission charging infrastructure that is essential to the continued success of commercial zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) deployment in California,” said Alyssa Haerle, CALSTART’s Director of Infrastructure Incentive Administration. “Commercial fleets and owner-operators face significant challenges in transitioning to ZEVs due to the high cost of supporting infrastructure. EnergIIZE incentives can help adopters reduce the up-front costs of infrastructure build-out, which will result in greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric pollutants, benefitting all, including those most detrimentally affected by transportation emissions.”
The first round of EV Fast Track opened on March 23, 2022, and its allocation of $16.24M was quickly fully subscribed, demonstrating the high demand for and interest in charging infrastructure among electric vehicle fleet owners and operators.
The EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles Project is funded by the California Energy Commission and implemented by CALSTART and partner Tetra Tech. EnergIIZE, with a total authorized allocation of $276 million through 2026, provides incentives to purchase infrastructure equipment for MD/HD zero-emission vehicles operated and domiciled in California. Through these incentives, EnergIIZE helps achieve the target set in Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20 for all MD/HD fleets statewide to transition to ZEVs by as early as 2035.
“EV Fast Track funding was wildly popular at its initial launch in March 2022,” said CEC Commissioner Patty Monahan. “The program provided grant awards to 36 projects across California to build out charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty electric fleets. 83% of the applications met the Jump Start criteria of supporting fleets in low income or disadvantaged communities or meeting other equity criteria. We are excited to offer these incentives again for 2023, and look forward to seeing charging sites go live in the near future.”
EnergIIZE has a total of four incentive funding lanes: EV Fast Track, EV Jump Start, Hydrogen, and Public Charging. For more information, see the EnergIIZE website or contact [email protected].
About CALSTART
A nonprofit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California and central Europe and partners world-wide, CALSTART works with 300+ member company and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry. We overcome barriers to modernization and the adoption of clean vehicles. CALSTART is changing transportation for good.
About EnergIIZE
EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles is a CEC block grant project that provides infrastructure incentives for public and private fleets, owner/operators, school bus fleets, transit agencies, and public charging sites that plan to deploy battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technology.
About the California Energy Commission
The California Energy Commission is leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future for all. As the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, the Energy Commission is committed to reducing energy costs and environmental impacts of energy use while ensuring a safe, resilient, and reliable supply of energy.