Fleet leaders and state officials urge coordinated charging, technical help ahead of WAZIP launch

Panelists at the Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council meeting described both progress and persistent barriers in fleet electrification, urging coordinated funding, utility engagement and targeted technical assistance ahead of the Washington 0‑Emission Incentive Program (WAZIP) launch.

The most immediate change providers said will help fleets adopt EVs is more and clearer support for charging infrastructure costs. "The biggest barrier is funding for the infrastructure," said Yvette Niwa, Zero Emission Vehicles Program Specialist at the State Efficiency and Environmental Performance Office (SEAP). She reported state agencies had identified a need for more than 1,000 additional Level 2 ports and roughly 150 additional Level 3 ports to fully electrify reported fleet needs.

Fleet representatives described operational challenges that make infrastructure planning complex. "Our fleet accounts for 50% of our GHG emissions," said Nick Davidson, lead of McKinstry's climate initiative, explaining why his company has prioritized electrification for trucks and vans. McKinstry now operates roughly 90 EV Silverado trucks within a roughly 750‑vehicle fleet and is balancing driver acceptance with charging logistics.

Calvin Walsh, CEO of Unity Foods, said depot siting and upfront utility upgrades are decisive. "There'll be a significant upfront cost with building out the infrastructure," he said, noting that bringing power and related street work once doubled projected costs at a Portland location and stalled that build‑out.

Panelists and council members repeatedly recommended pilot projects and careful sequencing: use telematics and route analysis to replace vehicles at end of life and prioritize use cases with ready charging options. "When we look at the Venn diagram of vehicle life and low‑mileage routing and home‑charging availability, all those things are great when they all overlap," Davidson said.

To help close planning gaps, WSU’s Green Transportation Program and CalSTART will be WAZIP’s primary technical assistance providers. Brad from WSU said the assistance is free and aimed at "next step" needs—everything from identifying vehicles and chargers that fit a fleet, to performing total‑cost‑of‑ownership and route analyses and connecting fleets to certified dealers. He emphasized that enhanced WAZIP vouchers target new on‑road class 2b–8 vehicles and off‑road equipment for eligible groups (emerging small businesses, drayage operators, veterans, nonprofits and public agencies) and do not apply to used vehicles or infrastructure.

Panelists also raised medium‑ and heavy‑duty (MHD) concerns: heavier vehicles reduce range, require larger chargers and often require trenching and major utility upgrades. "There's a lot of additional expenses that come into play outside of just the cost of the vehicle," Calvin Walsh said, noting that WAZIP’s infrastructure support for MHD fleets is limited relative to real‑world build‑out costs.

The council discussion repeatedly returned to change management: ride‑and‑drive events, executive sponsorship and driver engagement were cited as low‑cost ways to build acceptance. Paul Bloom of the Breaking Barriers Collaborative said the program requires executive sponsorship and helps fleets scale from pilot vehicles to full electrification plans.

Next steps: WAZIP opens April 29; WSU and CalSTART technical assistance is available to fleets whether or not they apply for vouchers. The council encouraged agencies and businesses to use the assistance to plan charging and vehicle sequencing before the voucher processing center goes live.

The meeting concluded with council staff offering contact information for follow‑up and noting the EV Council’s next meeting on May 20.