There’s plenty of EV money out there – and plenty of people to help you find it!
While Washington continues to threaten America’s economic security and position as a global technology leader by toying with the idea of killing the $7,500 Federal EV tax credit, the ENERGY STAR program, and other energy efficiency incentives, the private energy sector is stepping up with massive investments in battery storage, charging infrastructure, and commercial EV rebates – and helping fleet buyers navigate those new incentives is becoming part of the broader business plan.
The inspiration for this article was a recent announcement by Ford Pro, which is baking its incentive sourcing plan into its new new Electric Vehicle Incentive Consultation Service – a new offering designed to help Ford’s commercial customers navigate the rapidly-changing world of EV incentives.
The approach is working, too. In the few short weeks since launching the Consultation Service, tFord Pro helped customers discover over $40,000 in available incentives for charging purchases and $1.5 million for electric vehicle purchases.
Case(s) in point
Joliet Junior College in Illinois wanted to take advantage of the reduced air pollution, noise, and operating costs promised by EVs, but faced budget constraints that made the up-front costs of electrifying seem like an insurmountable obstacle. Consultants from Ford Pro were able to identify a number of state and local utility incentives the college was eligible for, which resulted in ra free L2 EV charger and an $8,000 EV charging infrastructure make-ready rebate from ComEd that, when combined, covered 100% of the college’s installation costs.
The college was also able to qualify for a $7,500 commercial EV rebate (also from ComEd) that was applied at the point of sale, allowing the college to begin realizing fuel savings on day one.
“I recently worked with Ford Pro to learn more about rebates for a 2025 Ford Lightning truck that will be used as a police patrol vehicle for our college campus,” explained Tracy Williams, Deputy Chief of the Joliet Junior College Police Department. “They went above and beyond my expectations in this process. The rebate we were eligible for was proactively added upfront to our quote. This service was a significant help to our small department, allowing us to allocate resources more effectively and reduce the initial outlay.”
Ford Pro isn’t alone
Startup manufacturers like Orange EV, ReVolt Motors, and Windrose – even 3PLs like YMX, Nuvve, and Highland Electric – have made cursory fleet assessments a core part of their initial go to market strategies.
Even giant legacy brand Ford, with its Ford Pro E-Switch Assist, is offering to take telematic data from existing gas- and diesel-powered Ford F-150 and Transit models and track each vehicle’s individual energy use to determine whether it’s a good candidate for replacement with a Ford EV.
“Smart tools informed by data like E-Switch Assist are opening up many new conversations with our commercial customers large and small about EV readiness; we’re already using E-Switch Assist regularly in consultations to help organizations determine if electric trucks and vans are right for them,” says Nate McDonald, EV strategy and cross vehicle brand manager at Ford Pro. “The importance of these tools and technologies goes beyond selling a customer a new vehicle—it changes mindsets about whether electric vehicles will work for their business while potentially saving them time and money.”
There’s no question, then, that E-Switch Assist is a great product, but it kind of highlights one of my big criticisms of using fleet assessment and grant sourcing products as an integrated G2M strategy for OEMs.
Electrek’s Jo’s Take
The problem with tying this kind of fleet assessment and incentive sourcing into a sales pitch of any kind is the question of credibility. Imagine you’re a fleet buyer for a large bakery looking to replace your aging diesel fleet with some new electric box vans. You’ve read about the Motiv fleet proving itself over millions of real-world miles, you’ve read about the incredible deals on the Chevy Brightdrop, and you even got to check out the new Bollinger B4 at an ACT Expo ride and drive. They all seem great, and they all seem to work – but will they work for you?
Maybe they will, but if you got a fleet assessment from Motiv, another one from Chevy, and a third one from Bollinger, do you think any of them would tell you to go hit your local Isuzu dealer if that was, indeed, the most cost-effective choice for your fleet’s specific needs? Or do you think that each analyst would, through a miracle of miracles involving novel pivot tables and a sketchy misrepresentation of the law of large numbers, discover that their company’s products were ideally suited to meet your fleet’s needs?
In fairness to Ford Pro, their E-Switch Assist product only looks at Ford products, identifying when ICE-powered F-150s and Transits can seamlessly be switched out for F-150 Lightning pickups and E-Transit electric vans. I’d also say that, in my experience, ReVolt founder Gus Gardner and Highland Electric CEO Duncan McIntyre are stand-up guys who would probably be the first to tell you if their company’s products aren’t right for you – but that’s easy for me to say when it’s not my millions of dollars and my job security on the line, you know?
That’s why I look at programs like what we have here in Chicago, where both Scooter and I are based, as real standouts. The local utility ComEd, which is mentioned in the Joliet Junior College example from Ford, above, offers an unbiased and complimentary Fleet Electrification Assessment to qualifying commercial customers. That assessment not only helps identify what assets are primed candidates to electrify, but also looks into the customers’ site, helping them understand their charging options and maximize savings with smart metering, intelligent off-peak charging schedules, and a $90 million EV rebate program to help fund their suggestions. (!)
On a national level, companies like ICF have a fifty year track record of providing fleets with the tools and information they need to maximize their fleets’ energy efficiency with solutions that include electrification, better route planning, and right-sizing, while companies like GNA (now part of TRC and hosts of the ACT Expo) have been doing similar work, sourcing billions of dollars in grants for fleets in California.
When it’s all coming together with the right information, product offering, and utility involvement, you see results – which is why Illinois’ EV growth is outpacing the rest of the nation by 4:1. Here’s hoping other states and utilities are paying attention, and start getting this EV thing right, too.
Original content from Electrek.
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Despite hyping the product for a year and half, it is fairly clear that Tesla doesn’t want to sell its new cheaper Model Y. At least, in the US.
Here’s why.
Remember the Cybertruck RWD?
Tesla launched the new cheaper version of the Cybertruck in April for $10,000 less than the AWD and about $20,000 worth of features removed.
By September, Tesla discontinued the model. It lasted a solid 6 months.
Many believed that Tesla wasn’t actually looking to sell the new version, which served more as making the Cybertruck AWD seemed like better value.
We might be witnessing a redo here witht the new standard Model Y that Tesla launched yesterday.
It costs $5,000 less than the Model Y Long Range RWD, which Tesla now calls “premium”, along with the AWD and Performance versions, while Tesla removed roughly $6,000-$8,000 worth of features.
The value proposition is not great, but that’s not the only reason why Tesla doesn’t seem to want to sell it.
The automaker currently doesn’t offer a lease on the new version, which is not unusual after having just launched a new variant or model. For example, Tesla is still not offering leases on the Model Y Performance, which only recently launched in the US.
But more importantly, Tesla is financing the new Model Y Standard at an APR almost 30% higher than for the cheaper “Premium” version.
The result is only $72 difference in monthly payments between the two versions:
The difference is virtually the same as between the Premium RWD and AWD, but you get a whole additional motor for that.
Electrek’s Take
We have been anticipating a situation like this, but it is honestly even worse than we thought.
For example, we didn’t anticipate Tesla removing Autopilot as standard. That alone is a few thousands dollars of value removed before even accounting for the hardware changes, such as the cloth interior, cheaper seats, or even the power folding mirrors.
Then, there are the honestly quite lazy changes, like not actually removing the glass roof, but covering it inside with a headliner.
The only really good thing I see from this launch is that it is very efficient EV and Tesla still has a lead on that front over most.
However, I have to reiterate that it is getting lazy with this lead.
The standard version is only 125 lbs lighter than the premium despite Tesla seemingly using the same battery pack with a few cells removed. When you add up all the features removal, the weight loss should be much more significant, but that’s harder to do when you make decision such as covering the glass roof rather removing it.
Tesla has to know that the value proposition here is not good.
It’s a bummer that Tesla went with that rather than a new smaller and less expensive vehicle as originally planned.
Especially when you consider that the decision was made to try to increase the utilization rate of Tesla’s current production lines, which appears to be running at about 60% amid this demand slump.
I don’t think this, and the new standard Model 3, which is better value to be fair, solve this situation.
As I previously stated, I believe this boost demand between 10-15% and that’s after Tesla either drops the price or introduces 0% interest financing, which I expect before the end of the quarter.
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On today’s incredibly frustrating episode of Quick Charge, Tesla is making it easier than ever to make fun of them by rolling out a new, “affordable” Model Y that costs $2,000 more than the “expensive” one did last week, thanks to the cancellation of the $7,500 tax credit that Elon Musk (the guy who is so good at business that he’s allegedly worth $1 trillion) spent $200 million campaigning for.
We’ve also got the new, single-motor Volvo EX30 at a price that undercuts the cheap Tesla, but includes a full length glass roof that isn’t inexplicably covered in upholstery to punish poor people. All this and more – enjoy!
Source Links
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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Chevy’s electric SUV is now the best-selling EV in the US outside of Tesla. The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is slightly more expensive than the outgoing model, but GM has added new style packages for you to choose from.
GM raises 2026 Chevy Equinox EV price, adds options
The Chevy Equinox EV doesn’t need much help. Starting at just $34,995, the 2025 Chevy Equinox quickly became one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the US.
Entering its third year, the Equinox EV remains GM’s most affordable EV, with starting prices slightly higher at $36,495. That includes the $1,395 destination fee.
Since it’s a carryover model, there aren’t too many changes, but buyers will have several new style packages to choose from.
The 2026 Chevy Equinox LT gains a new Midnight Package, which adds black emblems, bowtie, badging, wheel caps, and 19″ black painted aluminum wheels, for $595.
There’s also a new Tech Bronze Package available on the LT and RS trims. The new option includes a Tech Bronze decal, a black nameplate, a black bowtie emblem, and 21″ Tech Bronze wheels. It costs an extra $3,595.
The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is now listed on GM’s website. It’s still available in LT1, LT2, and RS trims with Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) powertrain options.
The base 2026 LT FWD trim starts at $36,495 with up to 319 miles of range, including a $1,395 destination fee. Upgrading to AWD costs an extra $5,300, with a slightly shorter range of 307 miles.
| Chevy Equinox EV trim | 2025 Starting Price | 2026 Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range |
| LT 1 FWD | $34,995 | $36,495 | 319 miles |
| LT 1 AWD | $38,295 | $39,795 | 307 miles |
| LT 2 FWD | $43,295 | $43,295 | 319 miles |
| LT 2 AWD | $46,595 | $46,595 | 307 miles |
| RS FWD | $44,795 | $45,595 | 319 miles |
| RS AWD | $48,095 | $48,895 | 307 miles |
Following another record quarter of EV sales in Q3, GM said that the Chevy Equinox EV was the best-selling non-Tesla electric vehicle in the US.
With several new affordable EVs arriving, including the new Nissan LEAF, will the Equinox continue to be a top seller in 2026? It will be interesting to see where the rankings end up at this time next year.
Wondering if Chevy’s electric SUV lives up to the hype? You can use our link to find 2025 and 2026 Chevy Equinox EV models near you and try it out for yourself.
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