Fleet operators across North Texas are being offered incentives to trade diesel trucks for electric models.
The North Texas Council of Governments is offering rebates to help public and private entities swap out diesel, gasoline, natural gas, or propane-powered Class 6 and 7 vehicles for battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell models.
The initiative is targeting “vocational vehicles” such as box trucks, trash haulers, transit buses, street sweepers and dump trucks to be converted to electric alternatives.
As of mid-June, $55.4 million remained available, with the program remaining open until the funds run out. Applications are being accepted on a rolling first-come, first-served basis, with a submission window closing at 5 p.m. on the third Friday of each month. The next deadline is Aug. 21.
Rebate amounts vary by vehicle class and fuel type. Battery-electric rebates can cover up to 65 percent of costs for straight trucks, step vans, and other vocational vehicles, with caps as high as $355,000. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles come with even steeper support, with the program covering up to 80 percent of costs, capped at $720,000 for some vehicle classes. Transit buses and refuse haulers carry their own tiered funding levels.
To qualify, applicants must operate existing vehicles at least 7,000 miles or 500 idle hours per year, primarily within the NCTCOG region, and must have adopted a clean fleet policy. Applicants must submit paperwork directly to NCTCOG’s Arlington office.
The program is part of a broader regional push to cut emissions from heavy duty vehicles, which are among the largest sources of vehicle-related air pollution despite making up a small share of total traffic.
Photo by Michael Lee from Pexels
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