Grant Insights: Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles (CHDV) Grants

The mandatory applicant cost-share range is 20-67% and is determined by the vehicle type (i.e., school bus, step van, etc.) and replacement vehicle power type (i.e., Battery-Electric Vehicles [BEVs] or Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles). 

*The cost-share requirement is waived for Territory and Tribal applicants, but all applicants are still subject to the per-vehicle cost caps (See Table 2. Section III.B. of NOFO). 

School Bus Sub-Program: to replace Class 6/7 school buses.

• EPA anticipates awarding approximately 70% of the total funding to projects under this sub-program, under which only applications seeking to replace school buses will be considered. 
  
• Applicants must request a minimum of 10 ZE school buses. 

Vocational Vehicles Sub-Program: to replace non-school bus Class 6/7 vehicles. 

• EPA anticipates awarding approximately 30% of the total funding to projects under this sub-program, under which only applications seeking to replace non-school bus Class 6/7 heavy-duty vehicles will be considered. 
  
• Applicants must request a minimum of 3 ZE heavy-duty vehicles.

Eligible activities under these sub-programs include: 

• The replacement of existing ICE school buses and other Class 6/7 vehicles with ZE school buses and heavy-duty vehicles; 
  
• Purchasing, installing, operating, and maintaining infrastructure needed to charge, fuel, or maintain ZE vehicles; and 
  
• Workforce development and training to support the maintenance, charging, fueling, and operation of ZE vehicles.

Applicants must propose to replace eligible vehicles with comparable, eligible ZE vehicles. Existing vehicles must be disposed of (i.e., scrapped, sold, or donated) according to program guidelines. Applicants may own the vehicles to be replaced or may work with fleet owners to carry out the project. 

• States and U.S. Territories; 
  
• Municipalities, including public school districts; 
  
• Indian Tribes; and 
  
• Nonprofit school transportation associations. 

*Applicants may only submit one School Bus Sub-Program application and one Vocational Vehicles Sub-Program application in total. 

• Tribal/Territory Set-Aside: at least 15 grant awards across both sub-programs. 
  
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Non-attainment Areas: at least $400 million of the total funding will be used to fund projects serving one or more communities in areas designated as in non-attainment with the NAAQS. 
  
• Funding by EPA Region: to ensure geographic diversity of projects, the EPA has made anticipated award allocations for all 10 EPA Regions based on the percentage of the population living in particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone non-attainment areas, and the percentage of the total nitrogen oxide (NOx) and diesel PM emissions from mobile sources attributable to that region (See Table 1. Section II.B. of NOFO). 
  
• EPA will prioritize funding for projects that serve disadvantaged communities by prioritizing certain counties (See Section I.C. of the NOFO for the description of counties that will be prioritized). 
  
• Priority will be given to projects that include climate resilience, project sustainability, and workforce development activities. 
  
• EPA will award evaluation points for voluntary cost share and leveraged funding commitments, as described in Section V.A. of the NOFO. 

Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the Strategic Plan goals. 

NAAQS Common Air Pollutants: particulate matter (PM), photochemical oxidants (including ozone), carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. Visit Criteria Air Pollutants | US EPA for more information about the NAAQS. 

Non-attainment Areas: areas of the country that do not meet national air quality standards. 

Tribal and territory applicants are not subject to vehicle minimums. 

Expected Project Outcomes include, but are not limited to: 

• Number of drivers, school children, and/or other passengers riding ZE vehicles rather than non-ZE vehicles, and therefore exposed to fewer exhaust emissions on their school commutes and/or routes; 
  
• Workforce training programs established for ZE vehicles and infrastructure; and  
  
• Benefits to the communities affected by the project—including improvements to human health and the environment, the local economy, social conditions, and the welfare of residents in such communities. 

Title: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – For further information 
Email: cleanhdvehicles@epa.gov 
Programmatic FAQs: Questions and Answers: Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles, RFA# EPA-R-OAR-CHDV-24-06 (April 29, 2024)