Michigan Offers $4.29M to Replace Diesel Refuse and Recycling Trucks
The new state grant program will help Michigan fleets replace eligible diesel collection vehicles with battery-electric trucks while also supporting charging infrastructure and workforce training.
MONTREAL (RecyclingMonster): Michigan is offering up to $4.29 million in grants to help public and private organizations replace eligible diesel-powered refuse and recycling trucks with battery-electric vehicles.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) launched the 2026 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program to support replacement of eligible Class 6 and Class 7 diesel refuse vehicles with zero-emission battery-electric trucks.
The program also covers eligible charging infrastructure and workforce development and training needed to operate and maintain the new vehicles.
Grants Cover Refuse, Recycling, Compost and Food-Waste Trucks
Eligible vehicles include heavy-duty trucks used for trash collection, recycling, composting and food-waste recovery.
EGLE said these vehicles frequently operate at low speeds in neighborhoods and near homes, schools and businesses. Replacing diesel trucks with battery-electric alternatives is intended to reduce localized exhaust emissions and collection-related noise.
Awards Could Reach $1 Million Per Project
Individual awards are expected to range from $100,000 to $1 million, with grant support capped at $260,000 per vehicle.
Applicants must provide a minimum 50% match toward total project costs. The program operates on a reimbursement basis, meaning recipients must initially pay eligible expenses and later submit documentation to EGLE for reimbursement.
Both public and private organizations physically located in Michigan may apply, subject to the program's eligibility requirements.
Detroit-Area and High-Pollution Communities Receive Priority
Applications will be evaluated competitively, with priority given to projects operating in designated ozone nonattainment or maintenance areas, locations with higher asthma burdens and projects capable of delivering substantial diesel-emission reductions.
EGLE said additional priority will be given to eligible refuse-truck replacements in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties in the Detroit metropolitan area.
Michigan Is Moving Electric Refuse Trucks From Pilot Projects Toward Fleet Deployment
The takeaway: Michigan's $4.29 million grant program is not the state's first move into electric collection vehicles. It builds on federal funding announced in 2024 for 15 all-electric recycling trucks and 15 charging stations in Southeast Michigan.
The earlier program established the first scaleEGLE announced in December 2024 that Michigan had received approximately $4.4 million through the U.S. EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program to deploy 15 electric recycling trucks and matching charging stations across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.
The new 2026 grant round uses the same federal Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles framework but opens competitive funding to eligible organizations across Michigan while continuing to prioritize the Detroit-area counties and communities facing greater air-quality burdens.
The grant does not cover the whole truckThe $260,000-per-vehicle cap is important. Applicants must also provide at least a 50% match, meaning fleet operators need significant capital of their own to participate. The state grant can help narrow the cost gap, but operators still need to budget for the vehicle, charging installation and related fleet changes.
Charging may be as important as the truckElectrifying refuse and recycling fleets is not simply a vehicle purchase. Operators must coordinate electrical service, charging equipment, site layouts, driver and technician training and operating schedules before trucks can be deployed reliably.
That is why Michigan's program funds charging infrastructure and workforce training alongside the vehicles. The application process specifically asks fleets to obtain charging quotes, coordinate with utilities and develop site layouts and project schedules before applying.
What to watchApplications are being reviewed on a rolling basis until the available funding is exhausted. That means the next important indicator will be which public and private fleets receive awards, how many trucks are ultimately funded and whether electric collection vehicles begin moving beyond Southeast Michigan into additional parts of the state.
Funding Available Until Exhausted
Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling, competitive basis until available funding is exhausted.
EGLE is encouraging applicants to obtain vehicle and charging-equipment quotes, coordinate with utilities and contractors, and prepare site layouts, schedules and budgets before submitting applications.
Projects must be completed by December 1, 2028, final reimbursement requests are due December 15, 2028, and all grant funds must be expended by December 31, 2028.
Michigan Electric Refuse Truck Grants: What to Know
How much funding is available?
Michigan expects to make approximately $4.29 million available through the 2026 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program.
Which vehicles are eligible?
The program targets eligible Class 6 and Class 7 diesel refuse vehicles used for trash, recycling, compost and food-waste recovery operations.
How much funding can one vehicle receive?
Grant support is capped at $260,000 per vehicle, including eligible charging infrastructure and workforce-training costs.
Is matching funding required?
Yes. Applicants must provide at least a 50% cost match toward eligible battery-electric refuse vehicle projects.
When do applications close?
Applications are being accepted and reviewed competitively on a rolling basis until available funding is exhausted.