MassCEC / Clean Transportation / Funding / Mass Fleet Advisor
The Challenge: Provide Technical Support for Fleet Electrification
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), which are defined as class 2b – class 8 vehicles, make up 3% of the vehicles in MA, yet they produce 20% of on-road vehicle emissions in the Commonwealth. The majority (71%) of these MHDVs are powered by diesel, making fleet electrification an essential step in reaching Massachusetts’ climate, transportation, and equity goals. However, it can be confusing and time consuming to research which electric vehicles are right for your fleet, how much they will cost, where and how to install charging infrastructure, and how to operate and maintain the vehicles.
About Mass Fleet Advisor
Mass Fleet Advisor aims to bridge the technical expertise gap by pairing businesses and non-profits with a technical consultant who will work with you to analyze your fleet and come up with an electrification plan that is tailored to your business. Lead by CALSTART, Inc., the consultant team will provide FREE electrification planning to interested private, commercial, and non-profit fleet managers. Two hundred eligible fleets will receive one-on-one support and a Fleet Electrification Report including an in-person site assessment, total cost of ownership analysis, vehicle to market inventory analysis, charging analysis, and next step recommendations. See the Mass Fleet Advisor website for more details.
No-cost services
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Who's Eligible
To be eligible for Mass Fleet Advisor, your fleet must meet the following criteria:
- Privately or commercially owned and/or operated; or a municipal fleet within a Municipal Light Plant community
- Vehicle depot located in Massachusetts and fleet actively operating in the state
- Minimum of three (3) vehicles per fleet
- Fleet must include at least one (1) medium- or heavy-duty vehicle
- Eligible to receive MOR-EV Truck funding for at least one (1) fleet vehicle
- Vehicles owned or leased for minimum of thirty-six (36) months
MassCEC will place additional emphasis on fleets that are associated with benefits to Environmental Justice populations, which includes fleets that have a depot sited in a state-defined Environmental Justice Income area or 50% of fleet miles driven in Environmental Justice Income areas. MassCEC also seeks to recruit historically under-represented and under-served businesses, such as Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Women (WBE), Portuguese (PBE), Veteran (VBE), LGBT (LGBTBE), Disability-owned (DOBE) businesses, as well as businesses located in Massachusetts Gateway Cities or other regions of the Commonwealth facing economic challenges, such as rural areas.
Program Schedule
Mass Fleet Advisor is a rolling program that will be accepting fleets until the program is fully subscribed at 200 participants. Seventy-five fleets from the 200 fleets will be selected to continue to Phase 2 to receive support through electric vehicle procurement.
Phase |
Timing |
|---|---|
Phase 1: Electrification Analyses (200 fleets) |
Ongoing until fully subscribed
|
Phase 2: Procurement (75 fleets) |
2024-2026 |
Apply
Interested fleet managers can sign up at massfleetadvisor.org. Once you've signed up the process will be as follows:
- Pre-participation Call: 15 to 30 minutes
- Sign Participation Agreement
- Official Kick off Call
- Receive and complete Fleet Intake Form
- Participate in Virtual Site Assessment
- Finalized Fleet Electrification Report sent to you
Send completed application/Queries to: massfleetadvisor@calstart.org
Mass Fleet Advisor Webinar
View our webinar from February 28, 2023 to learn more about the Mass Fleet Advisor Program and hear from the CALSTART and Participating Fleets. This webinar includes testimonials, eligibility, services offered, and the participation process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens once I sign up?
You will receive an email from your fleet relationship manager who will set up a time to talk through your fleet needs and answer any questions about the program. If you'd like to participate you'll sign a Participation Agreement then be sent a Fleet Intake Form, which will ask for more details about your vehicles. A Kick Off call will be set up to help walk you through the process and answer questions you may have on the Intake Form. Then you will participate in a Virtual Site Assessment to asses your facility's potential for charging infrastructure. Once all data has been gathered and analyzed you will receive a personalized Fleet Electrification Report with next step recommendations.
How long does the program last?
The length of fleet participation depends on your engagement and the level of analysis. MassCEC anticipates Phase 1 will take 4-6 months per fleet and will run through the end of 2022. Phase 2 will be more detailed and is anticipated to take 6-8 months. Phase 2 will likely begin at the end of 2022 and continue through 2023. Phase 3, which is procurement support, will continue for 1-2 years depending on purchase timelines and will go from 2023 to the end of 2024.
Is the program free for fleet managers?
Yes, fleet managers will receive a completely free fleet electrification analysis from CALSTART, the lead technical consultant. MassCEC is providing the funding to CALSTART and their team to make these services free for fleets.
Is there any funding available through this program for vehicle purchases?
No, this program only offers free technical support to help fleets understand their electrification options and decide what vehicles and charging plan is right for their fleet. However, MOR-EV Truck does offer incentive funding for MHDVs.
Can my fleet still participate if I can't commit to procurement?
Yes, there is no requirement to make any purchases for this program. While fleet managers are encouraged to procure electric vehicles if the results of the analysis prove favorable, the tiered structure of the program leaves flexibility for fleet managers to receive an analysis without committing to procurement.
Resources
- MOR-EV Trucks MA state incentive funding for eligible MHDVs.
- Eversource Makeready Utility funding for charging station infrastructure costs. Program is currently fully subscribed but taking waitlist applications.
- National Grid Makeready Utility funding for charging station infrastructure costs. Program is currently fully subscribed.
- National Grid Fleet Advisory Services Program Similar technical support program for public fleets in National Grid service territory.
- Zero Emission Technology Inventory Tool CALSTART tool to explore available and upcoming electric MHD vehicle options.
- Total Cost of Ownership Estimator CALSTART tool for estimating electric MHDV ownership costs.
- Massachusetts Leading By Example A state run tools and resources page for all things clean energy.
MassCEC / Clean Transportation / Funding / Mass Fleet Advisor
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