Illinois Launches Clean Trucks Program for Fleets

The state EPA is offering funding and concierge support to help fleet operators replace diesel trucks with electric alternatives.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Isometric editorial illustration of an electric freight truck beside a charging pedestal in a flat industrial fleet yard, with a brick depot behind it. — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency launched its Clean Trucks Program, offering $935,220 to cover up to 45 percent of electric replacement costs for diesel class 5-8 trucks. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you consider switching a work vehicle from diesel to electric in your area?

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency launched its Clean Trucks Program with two initiatives to help fleets swap diesel trucks for electric models. A Notice of Funding Opportunity offers $935,220 to cover up to 45 percent of electric truck replacement costs.

Why it matters

The funding is meant to enable fleet operators to replace older diesel trucks with electric alternatives, shifting how freight is moved across the state. It also adds support for small- and medium-sized fleets that may lack the resources to navigate the transition on their own.

The program combines $3 million for concierge services with $935,000 in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act funds, and the NOFO covers up to 45 percent of replacement costs for class 5-8 trucks. Illinois' interactive map already lists more than 450 public EV charging stations, though the extraction does not say how many of these serve trucks.

The players

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

The state agency that administers environmental regulation and grant programs in Illinois, including the Clean Trucks Program.

The details

Fleet operators can receive funding for up to 45 percent of the cost to replace diesel-powered class 5-8 trucks with fully electric options. Applications and the Notice of Funding Opportunity are available on Illinois' GATA webpage, and qualified firms are being sought to run the Concierge Service for small- to medium-sized fleets across the state's PJM and MISO utility regions.

November 4, 2026: Illinois EPA launched the Clean Trucks Program and posted the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
2025: A district judge in Seattle ruled that the Trump administration must release withheld charging station funds.

Roadmap

The Illinois program draws on Volkswagen settlement funding of up to $18,000,000 that supports round 9 of all-electric class 4-8 local freight truck grants. It extends that settlement-backed approach into a state-run replacement program aimed at fleets that would otherwise keep operating older diesel trucks.

Fleet operators in Illinois can apply for funding covering up to 45 percent of the cost to replace diesel class 5-8 trucks with electric models. Small- and medium-sized fleets may also seek support through the Concierge Service, which is being staffed by qualified firms in the state's PJM and MISO regions.

The takeaway

Fleet operators weighing a switch from diesel should check the GATA webpage for the Notice of Funding Opportunity, since funding covers up to 45 percent of replacement costs. Pairing that funding with the state's Concierge Service may simplify the application process.