Clean Transportation Program
In New York State, transportation accounts for around one-third of statewide greenhouse gas emissions. Creating a transportation system that reduces emissions while increasing connectivity and access to jobs, schools, and services requires scaling up existing solutions, such as zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), while developing innovative technologies for hard-to-electrify modes of transit.
NYSERDA’s Clean Transportation program provides incentives, funding opportunities, and technical assistance to advance several low-carbon modes of transportation, including public transit, biking, walking, and light-, medium-, and heavy-duty ZEVs, such as battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The transition to ZEVs is underway, supported by increasing vehicle choice and public charging infrastructure availability. Converting to ZEVs isn’t just good for the environment – it also reduces the total cost of vehicle ownership through lower fuel and vehicle maintenance costs.
Focus Areas
NYSERDA helps fleets convert to ZEVs and innovators get into the market by supporting partnerships and projects. Businesses, local governments, public agencies, universities, and entrepreneurs can work with NYSERDA to access:
- Incentive Programs: Overcome financial market barriers to deploy clean transportation technologies
- Research and Development: Support innovators translate ideas into scalable, market-ready clean transportation technologies, products, and services
- Pilot and Demonstration Projects: Show the benefits of new clean transportation technologies
More specifically, NYSERDA shares upfront risk and helps break down the barriers related to developing a new concept or providing proof-of-concept testing in the following areas:
- Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs): From the smallest cars to heavy freight-hauling truck fleets, transportation electrification is accelerating in New York State through NYSERDA's EV programs. Support includes rebates and incentives for electric cars and trucks and providing information about ZEV options and installing charging or fueling stations.
- Public transit systems: New technologies and proactive planning can make public transit systems (including subways, trains, buses, and ferries) cleaner, more efficient, safer, and easier to use.
- Low-carbon mobility options: Reducing emissions from single-occupancy vehicle trips and traffic congestion are examples of benefits from increased transit use, car sharing, and other shared mobility, carpooling, e-bikes, micro-transit, and similar options that help people get to jobs, school, and services while minimizing driving and saving money.
- Smart mobility: Communications technologies, for example, can create “connected cities” that reduce congestion and idling. The technologies can, among other things, help drivers adjust their routes for current traffic, allow traffic lights to improve traffic flow by adapting to current conditions, and make it easier to find open parking spaces through advanced parking meters.
Opportunities
NYSERDA has several programs to increase adoption of clean transportation solutions, as well as funding opportunities to implement proof-of-concept technologies and support research and development.
- Drive Clean Rebate: Offers rebates of up to $2,000 for new electric vehicle purchases or leases that may be combined with a Federal Tax Credit of up to $7,500.
- New York Clean Transportation Prizes: Competitive funding for projects that electrify transportation, reduce air pollution, and enhance clean mobility in underserved communities.
- Truck Voucher Incentive Program: Provides vouchers and discounts to purchase or lease ZEV truck and bus technologies (Class 4-8), including battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
Competitive solicitations are issued periodically throughout the year. Visit the Funding Opportunities page for more information on current solicitations.
To learn more about specific technologies and focus areas, visit the electric vehicles, electric school buses, and related transportation innovation pages.