Funds available to electrify fleets
Here's a finding most fleet operators and dealers don't expect: the biggest funders of industrial electrification aren't in Washington; they're the utilities already billing your facility every month.
by Max Khabur
Eneroc USA mapped 78 active federal, state, and utility incentive programs across 32 US jurisdictions, all targeting industrial electrification: electric forklifts, charging infrastructure, port equipment and heavy-duty trucks. The Industrial EV Incentives Database is registration-free and searchable at the Eneroc USA website’s support page. What the data reveals about who's writing checks, and how large they are, may change how you make your next fleet decision.
Utilities are writing more checks than Washington
The biggest funding engine isn't the federal government. It's your local utility. Of the 82 programs in the database, roughly half are run or funded by utilities.
- TVA's EnergyRight Commercial Forklift Incentive pays up to $2,000 per forklift for IC-to-electric conversions — and that one program covers seven states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
- Duke Energy runs a charger make-ready credit program across six states.
- Entergy eTech operates a dual-track forklift rebate in 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 state-level grants and vouchers.
Federal programs: what changed and why state and utility programs matter more
For a few years, two IRS credits served as the national baseline for industrial fleet electrification:
- 45W Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit: $7,500 per vehicle under 14,000 pounds and up to $40,000 for heavier equipment, claimed on the business buyer's return.
- 30C Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit: Up to $100,000 per charging installation for sites 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 by September 30, 2025. The 30C credit closes for installations after June 30, 2026.
That federal layer is now largely reduced, which makes the 82 state and utility programs in this database more important, not less. State agencies and utilities are filling the gap, and in many cases, the programs they run are more accessible and more directly targeted at forklift fleets than the federal credits ever were.
For port operators, the EPA Clean Ports Program remains active: awards range from $1 million to $500 million for converting yard tractors, reach stackers, and cargo handling equipment at qualifying facilities.
Who gets the money
Nearly every program lists fleet owners and end users as the primary eligible recipients. But dealers are a bigger part of this picture than most realize.
California's HVIP and CORE voucher programs, New York's NYTVIP, and New Jersey's ZIP program all flow funds through equipment dealers at the point of sale. The dealer redeems the voucher and discounts the purchase price, turning an incentive program into a direct sales incentive for dealers willing to navigate the process.
Several utility programs, including Entergy's eTech model, pay a separate dealer bonus on top of the customer rebate. Dealers who understand how to stack and present these programs are closing deals their competitors don't even know are possible.
"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," says Mark D'Amato, vice president of sales at Eneroc USA.
What equipment qualifies
Forklifts and lift trucks appear in more programs than any other equipment category — roughly 50 of 78 and charging infrastructure is bundled into nearly as many. The most common incentivized scenario: replacing IC (internal combustion) propane or diesel forklifts and upgrading site charging in the same project.
Beyond forklifts, the database tracks programs covering medium and heavy-duty trucks (~25 programs), port equipment (~20 programs), and off-road construction equipment (~10 programs). Check the database before your next fleet decision
Programs open and close. California's CORE (Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher incentive project) — one of the most generous off-road equipment programs in the country, with voucher amounts up to $500,000 for large forklifts and yard tractors — recently closed its heavy-duty funding window. The timing of any reopening is unconfirmed.
Static lists go stale fast. The Eneroc USA database at Enerockusa.com is actively maintained and updated as programs open, close, or change funding levels. No signup required.
For fleet operators weighing the switch from propane or diesel, and for battery and charger dealers building the economic case for customers: the money is there. The question is whether you're claiming it. Check back regularly, the landscape in 90 days may look different from what it is 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.
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