The time has come to once again recap the latest happenings with all things electric! This month, we’re looking at interesting stories involving Duke Energy’s efforts to accelerate the electrification of commercial fleets, new candidates for the commercial clean vehicle credit, and Nissan’s attempt to l slash emissions with an electric big-rig.

GreenPower Motor Company’s commercial EVs become eligible for the commercial clean vehicle credit

OnJan. 1, 2023, the commercial clean vehicle credit became available as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Businesses and tax-exempt organizations may qualify to receive a tax credit of up to $40,000 for purchasing qualified commercial clean vehicles. The credit is part of the growing incentive for businesses to make steps toward electrifying their fleets and supporting production of EVs in the U.S.

This February, GreenPower Motor Company, Inc. officially became a qualified manufacturer of these clean commercial vehicles. GreenPower is one of the top producers of medium and heavy-duty EVs in the country, distributing to companies in a variety of industries, including public transportation and delivery services. GreenPower EVs weighing less than 14,000 pounds qualify for up to $7,500 in tax credit, while those exceeding that weight may qualify for up to $40,000. There is no limit at this time on how many credits an organization can claim.

Here is a complete list of the GreenPower EVs that are currently eligible for the clean commercial vehicle credit:

• EV Star
• EV Star Cab and Chassis
• EV Star Cargo and Cargo Plus
• Type D BEAST
• Type A Nano BEAST

Duke Energy constructs a charging depot to help accelerate deployment of commercial EV fleets

Duke Energy, the largest electric power company in the U.S., recently announced a plan to build a large EV charging depot at its Mount Holly Technology and Innovation Center in North Carolina. The facility will be the first of its kind powering vehicles via Duke’s carbon-free microgrid. The goal of the depot will be to help develop, test, and deploy commercial EV fleets.

Electrification is an overwhelming and difficult process that most businesses are not entirely equipped to handle on their own. Executive Vice President of Customer Experience, Solutions and Services for Duke Energy, Harry Sideris, stated the following about Duke’s efforts to assist companies who may be new to working with EVs: “We are helping speed commercial fleet electrification across the Duke Energy footprint through innovations like this, while we electrify our own fleet.” 

Duke will partner with Electrada, an electric fuel company that helps fleet owners transition to EVs, and Daimler Truck North America, a leading producer of battery-electric trucks, as part of the larger electrification initiative. The team aims to have the facility up and running by the end of 2023.

Nissan begins using heavy-duty electric trucks to deliver vehicles

Nissan announced a plan to carry. out new vehicle deliveries via electric trucks. The program is currently still in its trial phase, with two battery electric vehicle (BEV) heavy-duty, Class 8 trucks set to deliver vehicles to dealerships in the Los Angeles area. Nikola and Kenworth, two major heavy-duty electric truck producers, will supply the vehicles for the test run.

This innovation– EVs being used to transport other EVs– is part of Nissan’s mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. If the trial goes well, the company will build on the initiative by employing more heavy-duty BEV trucks to carry out deliveries across the Los Angeles area. Either way, results from the initial test will be used to improve the deployment plan.

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