EPA Makes Nearly $1 Billion in Funding Available for Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles

April 25, 2024

Image courtesy of the Electric School Bus Initiative

The EPA is awarding up to $932 million in competitive grant funding under the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The program is accepting applications nationwide to fund the replacement of existing non-zero-emission Class 6 and 7 heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission Class 6 and 7 heavy-duty vehicles.

Eligible activities and costs for the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles grant program include:

  • The incremental cost of replacing a non-zero-emission Class 6 or 7 heavy-duty vehicle with an eligible Class 6 or 7 zero-emission vehicle
  • The purchase and installation of refueling infrastructure that will support vehicles replaced under this program
  • Driver/mechanic training related to the maintenance and operation of new technologies, and vehicle warranties
  • Costs directly related to the implementation, management, and oversight of the project, including recipient and subrecipient personnel and benefits, contractual services, consulting on vehicle deployments, travel, supplies, and indirect costs

All U.S. states and territories, municipalities, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit school transportation associations are eligible to apply for the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grants Program.

Eligible vehicles under the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program include:

  • Class 6 and Class 7 school buses
  • Other non-school bus Class 6 and Class 7 vehicles, including (but not limited to):
    • Refuse Haulers/Dump Trucks
    • Class 6/7 Transit Buses
    • Delivery Trucks
    • Utility Trucks
    • Bucket Trucks
    • Other Box Trucks

Eligible existing vehicles to be replaced:

  • Be a Class 6 or Class 7 heavy-duty vehicle with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating between 19,501 lbs to 33,000 lbs.
  • Be fully operational at the time of application submission. An operational vehicle should be able to start, move, and have all necessary parts to be operational.
  • Be an engine model year 2010 or older diesel-powered vehicle that will be scrapped if selected for funding

Eligible Infrastructure:

  • Electric Charging Infrastructure
    • Eligible electric infrastructure is limited to installations and upgrades behind the electric meter
  • Fueling Infrastructure
    • Eligible fueling infrastructure includes fueling infrastructure for new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including, but not limited to, storage tanks, liquid and gaseous pumps and vaporizers, compressors, heat exchangers, chillers, piping and pipelines within the relevant facility, and high-pressure dispensers (including hose, nozzles, and meters) needed to fuel the new hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles funded under the project.

The application package must be received by 11:59 PM (ET) on Wednesday, July 25, 2024. The EPA anticipates notifying selectees by November 2024 and awarding the grants by February 2025.

Virginia Clean Cities encourages all eligible entities to apply, and VCC provides grant support to communities; please contact Matt Wade at mwade@vacleancities.org for support on getting applications in on this grant. We can help you with vehicle information, charging partnerships, and utility contacts and more.

Click here to visit EPA for more information regarding the program and the application process.