NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 3, 2025 – The National Fleet Electrification Network (NFEN), a not-for-profit organization with a mission to deliver cost effective shared fleet infrastructure for communities across the US, has received $3,879,878 from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to develop investment-ready regional charging hub plans that can be shared among various fleets in a region. This market-driven model supports both private-sector innovation and public utilities by ensuring that charging infrastructure investments provide long-term economic benefits and energy security.

One of the biggest roadblocks to mass electric vehicle (EV) adoption for fleets is the time associated with upgrading the required grid infrastructure to support charging infrastructure. NFEN aims to provide a comprehensive solution through the development of shared charging hubs which will facilitate shared infrastructure upgrades, significantly speeding up the deployment process and enabling multiple fleets to benefit from the same resources. 

By bringing together fleets, utilities, and solution providers, NFEN fosters mutually beneficial partnerships that address both immediate and future needs, starting with creating replicable blueprints that can be expanded nationwide to expedite the deployment of thousands of charging hubs. In order to strengthen America’s transportation resilience, competitiveness and energy independence in local communities and nationwide, it is imperative to utilize collaborative partnerships like NFEN that avoid underutilization of existing infrastructure and inefficient, siloed approaches.

This initiative paves the way to rapidly deploy extensive infrastructure without requiring local match funding or ongoing government subsidies that increase taxpayer burdens by using a market-driven investment approach. Aiming to unlock billions in private investment for shared charging hubs, NFEN will create good-paying jobs, enhance America’s energy security, and strengthen communities – urban, suburban, and rural – across all states.

Partners already committed to the NFEN project include the New York State Office of General Services, the California Department of General Services, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Long Island Power Authority, National Grid, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Sacramento Regional Transit District, Colorado Springs Utilities, Hawaiian Electric Company, the Energy Power Research Institute, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Empire Clean Cities, AECOM, the City of Lompoc, BetterFleet, CALSTART, Clean Communities of Central New York and S Curve Strategies. 

NFEN was founded by Daniel Hilson, CEO of BetterFleet, and governed by an independent board of experts led by Robert Gurman. The board also includes leaders from utilities, private sector companies, and public organizations, reflecting a broad coalition of stakeholders.

“This project is nationally important. It will reduce the overall cost of infrastructure deployment by billions, driving down costs for fleet operators, strengthening the energy grid, and enabling businesses to make long-term infrastructure investments,” said Hilson.

“NFEN can deliver much-needed efficiencies to deployment of EV fleet charging: efficiencies of EV fleet operations, electric power consumption and management, and capital deployment. NFEN is a win-win for all stakeholders,” said NFEN Board Chair Robert Gurman. 

NFEN was selected as part of the Communities Taking Charge Accelerator from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. This program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, invested $43.7 million in projects that expand mobility options and infrastructure that match how people and things move, enabling Americans to have more choices in how they travel while creating a more flexible, efficient energy system. 

“American organizations continue to innovate within energy and transportation, building toward a more connected, scalable, and resilient zero-emission infrastructure,” said Debs Schrimmer, Senior Advisor, Community and Urban Charging for the Joint Office. “This project from the National Fleet Electrification Network is another example of this potential, and we’re excited to see its progress.”

For more information on our project, visit https://fleetnetwork.org/. To learn more about opportunities with the Joint Office, visit https://driveelectric.gov/.

About the National Fleet Electrification Network

The National Fleet Electrification Network (NFEN) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to accelerating fleet electrification by developing shared charging hubs that streamline infrastructure upgrades and maximize resource efficiency. By fostering partnerships between fleets, utilities, and solution providers, NFEN drives EV adoption and strengthens communities while advancing zero-emission transportation goals nationwide. Learn more about fleetnetwork.org