Why utilities are likely your best source of funding
Contributed for republication by Max Khabur | Director of Marketing, ENEROC USA
Edited by Paul Gerke
Here’s what most operators don’t expect: the biggest funders of industrial fleet electrification aren’t federal agencies. They’re the utilities already billing your facility every month.
Roughly half the programs in the database are run or funded by utilities. They tend to be faster to access, less bureaucratic, and directly targeted at the equipment and infrastructure your operation needs.
The reach is wide. A single TVA EnergyRight program pays up to $2,000 per forklift for IC-to-electric conversions and covers seven southeastern states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Entergy eTech runs a dual-track rebate across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, paying the fleet operator and the selling dealer separately. Xcel Energy covers Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin. National Grid serves Massachusetts and New York.
In California, PG&E, SCE, and LADWP each run their own programs on top of an already extensive state-level grant and voucher ecosystem.
Utility charging infrastructure programs extend the opportunity further:
- Duke Energy (6 states): Covers 100% of make-ready electrical costs — panel upgrades, conduit, trenching — for commercial customers, plus a Fleet Advisory Bonus up to $12,000.
- Dominion Energy (Virginia): 50% make-ready subsidy upfront, rising to 100% for facilities in designated disadvantaged communities.
- National Grid (Massachusetts, New York): Up to 100% make-ready infrastructure funding.
- NV Energy (Nevada): Up to $5,000 per Level 2 connector installed.
- ComEd (Illinois): Up to $3,750 per Level 2 port, capped at $30,000 per site.
- Georgia Power: $150–$250 per kW installed for Level 2 chargers, capped at $60,000 per entity per year.
If your operation is planning any electrical infrastructure work for fleet charging, contact your utility before signing contracts. These programs can eliminate a significant share of that cost.
For a few years, two IRS programs served as the national baseline for commercial fleet electrification:
- 45W Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit — Up to $7,500 per vehicle under 14,000 lbs; up to $40,000 for heavier equipment.
- 30C Charging Infrastructure Credit — Up to $100,000 per installation (30% of cost) in qualifying low-income or rural census tracts.
Both were sunset by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025. The 45W credit ended for vehicles not under a binding contract by September 30, 2025. The 30C credit closed for installations after June 30, 2026.
That federal layer is now largely gone, which makes state and utility programs more critical than ever. The good news: in many cases, those programs are more accessible and more directly targeted at forklift fleets than the federal credits were.
For port operators, the EPA Clean Ports Program remains active, with awards ranging from $1 million to $500 million for qualifying facilities converting cargo handling equipment to electric.
Nearly every program in the database lists fleet owners and end users as the primary eligible recipients. But the picture is broader than that.
Several major programs flow funds directly through equipment dealers at the point of sale. California’s HVIP and CORE voucher programs, New York’s NYTVIP, and New Jersey’s ZIP program all route the incentive through the selling dealer, who discounts the purchase price on the spot. Entergy’s model pays a separate dealer bonus on top of the customer rebate.
For dealers, this is more than a funding mechanism. It’s a sales tool.
“We go deep into every customer’s operation before we recommend anything. The right battery, the right charger, the right incentives — it all has to work from day one and deliver on its promise for years. Mapping out every available program is part of how we make sure no money gets left on the table,” explained Mark D’Amato, VP of sales at Eneroc USA.
Forklifts and lift trucks appear in more programs than any other equipment category — roughly 50 of the 87 tracked. Charging infrastructure is bundled into nearly as many. The most common incentivized scenario is replacing IC (internal combustion) propane or diesel forklifts and upgrading site charging in the same project, where multiple programs can stack.
The database also covers:
- Medium and heavy-duty trucks ~25 programs
- Port equipment ~20 programs
- Off-road construction equipment ~10 programs
For projects that combine vehicle replacement with a charging buildout, stacking a state grant with a utility rebate can offset 30% to 80% of total project cost, depending on location and fleet size.
California’s CORE (Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project) — one of the most generous programs in the country, with voucher amounts up to $500,000 for large forklifts and yard tractors — recently closed its heavy-duty funding window with no confirmed timeline for reopening.
This is exactly why a static list goes stale fast. The Industrial EV Incentives Database is actively maintained and updated as programs open, close, or change eligibility terms. No account or sign-up is required.
Check it before your next fleet purchase decision — not after. The landscape in 90 days may look meaningfully different from today.
Max Khabur is a Director of Marketing at ENEROC USA, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial lithium batteries. Formerly, Max led marketing at Bluwater and OneCharge Lithium Batteries, and was elected Chairman of the Advanced Energy Council, representing a group of companies – members of the MHI.org (Materials Handling Industry) Association.
