There are many reasons the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) transition is happening so quickly in Massachusetts. It’s not just about staying ahead of accelerating state regulations or demonstrating leadership in sustainability efforts. Lower maintenance costs, cost-effective charging, and cleaner air quality for staff and customers alike make electric vehicles a no-brainer for you and your community, and the increasing number of financial incentives helps fleets choose light-, medium-, and heavy-duty ZEVs makes switching to electric a lower total cost of ownership in many fleet use cases.
But transitioning to ZEVs, while easy to scale once you get started, involves some forethought before heading to a dealership. Planning for charging infrastructure early in the fleet electrification process is key to success. Many successful commercial fleet upgrade case studies prove that considering a charging station project before even placing your first order for an EV is a wise course of action on the way to zero emissions and overall fleet energy savings.
Where to start? A few simple groundwork steps — and several key programs that incentivize ZEVs in Massachusetts — can help your fleet upgrade cruise smoothly into the future.
Plan ahead on capacity. Your initial purchases might be, say, two vans. But when it comes to planning infrastructure, you’ll want to plan further ahead. What is your five and ten-year plan? You might need to plan for ten vehicles and build charging infrastructure to match where you’re headed, not where you are. Contacting your utility as early as possible in the planning process is critical as well – they can help assess the available power for your site and get your project on their planning radar.
Consider charging best practices. Right-sizing your chargers with the correct charging speed to match your fleet’s driving needs lowers the up-front cost of the project, and charging during off-peak hours (usually, 9 p.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday) when demand for electricity is lowest, helps fleet operators save on regular charging costs. If you plan ahead with charging infrastructure and game planning, you’ll help your fleet save on charging costs month over month.
Prepare your staff. Transitioning to ZEVs doesn’t happen overnight. Employees like drivers, mechanics, procurement experts and communications teams can help a smooth transition — if you’ve hired and prepared them for it.
Keep an eye on solar and other smart upgrades. Additional infrastructure upgrades like solar and battery storage are available today. These upgrades — which allow fleets to charge their ZEVs using the sun, even selling back power to the grid at times — have the potential to drive long-term, cost-effective EV charging. An investment now will likely pay off down the road.
Taking Advantage of National Grid’s Fleet Programs
Some of the biggest opportunities for fleet operators who want to upgrade their ZEV charging infrastructure come from utilities companies like National Grid, whose Fleet Programs provide a range of financial and advisory incentives — often significant enough to lower your total cost of ownership – in the state of Massachusetts. When paired with ending federal EV tax credits, these programs make the shift to electric more accessible and affordable. Please note that the federal EV tax credit, up to $7,500 for new vehicles/$4,000 for used vehicles, expires on September 30, 2025.
Fleet Advisory Services
Knowledge is power — particularly when it comes to installing new EV charging infrastructure. Publicly owned fleets qualify for no-cost Fleet Advisory Services from National Grid, which provides the comprehensive expertise you need to help navigate your vehicle electrification journey. Advisors help create fleet electrification plans and estimate total cost of ownership, along with savings. Public fleet customers include public transit agencies, school buses, municipalities, federal or state fleets, and public universities.
Fleet EV Charging Program
All fleet customers are eligible to apply for the Fleet EV Charging Program, which provides up to 100% funding for electrical infrastructure costs. It also includes additional rebates for up to 100% of the charging station equipment costs for public fleets.
Fleet EV Off-Peak Charging Programs
If your business prioritizes off-peak charging for ZEVs, the Fleet EV Off-Peak Charging Program provides rebates that can add additional savings to what is already a smart financial decision. This program is available to all fleets, including private and government-owned commercial vehicles.
Demand Charge Alternative
Utilities often have a charge for the peak electricity demand from a customer each month, called the demand charge. Because EV sites can have highly variable usage of their EV chargers, National Grid offers a demand charge alternative, which has a tiered discount that reduces the demand charge for fleets with low utilization of their chargers. This keeps electricity costs low as the fleet grows and can save customers 20% to up to 70% on electricity costs in the early years.
Want to explore the EV charging infrastructure support available to Massachusetts fleets? Visit National Grid’s Fleet Programs page to learn more.
