FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 18, 2025

CONTACT: Drive Clean Indiana
Elise Bereolos, Engagement Coordinator
(219) 644-3690
ebereolos@drivecleanindiana.org

Drive Clean Indiana Begins Deliveries for the Lake and Porter County Zero-Emission Vehicle Project Awardees

City of Lake Station Deploys First EVs for Lake and Porter County ZEV Project

Portage, IN (August 18, 2025) – Drive Clean Indiana is proud to announce the Lake and Porter County Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Project. To kick off the project, the City of Lake Station deployed three all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning Trucks for its Public Works department in July. “We’re proud to be the first city of many in the region to receive electric vehicles and to be a leader for other communities throughout Indiana,” said City of Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll. “Ultimately, this project reflects good stewardship to the environment, but also demonstrates our willingness to keep up with technological advancements in transportation.”

The three all-electric 2025 Ford F-150 Lightnings have a 131 kWh battery capacity, which delivers a range of 320 miles per charge. Additionally, the F-150 Lightnings are capable of producing 580 horsepower and 775 lbs-ft of torque, which allows these trucks to haul up to 10,000 pounds. Drive Clean Indiana (DCI) wrote the grant application and will provide reporting and analysis for this project. Ryan Lisek, Program Director of DCI, commends the leadership of the City of Lake Station for the project. “This program came together as an opportunity to pilot EVs for municipalities to prove that EVs provide the same operational performance, but have a lower total cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle. The goal of the Lake and Porter County ZEV program is to share the experiences of municipalities that have chosen cleaner equipment and how the decision is benefiting their budgets and communities,” said Lisek.

Other project partners include 25 municipalities across Lake and Porter Counties. This project is sponsored by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC). “This is an embodiment of an overall regional strategy to reduce emissions in Northwest Indiana,” said Ty Warner, NIRPC’s Executive Director. “The ZEV Project is helping to steer us toward a cleaner region.” Over $2.9M is allocated toward this project to cover a significant portion of the light-duty EVs and publicly accessible Level 2 charging stations. NIRPC’s Northwest Indiana Green Fleet program has assisted in the education and deployment of a variety of clean fuel equipment and associated clean fueling infrastructure.

The remaining deployments are scheduled to take place at the end of 2025 and early 2026.

About Drive Clean Indiana

Drive Clean Indiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization managed by Legacy Environmental Services, Inc., an Indiana Certified Women’s Business Enterprise, and serves the entire state of Indiana. Designated as the 71st Clean Cities and Communities coalition on June 15, 1999, Drive Clean Indiana is one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s more than 75 Clean Cities and Communities coalitions and is the only Clean Cities and Communities coalition in the state of Indiana. The organization supports our nation’s energy and economic security by building partnerships to advance affordable domestic transportation fuels, energy-efficient mobility systems, and other fuel-saving technologies and practices. Learn more at www.drivecleanindiana.org.

About Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC)

NIRPC is the official council of Northwest Indiana governments that brings communities together to address issues of regional concern. It is organized under the provisions of Indiana Code 36-7-7.6 to serve the citizens of Lake, Porter, and La Porte Counties by planning for transportation, the environment, and economic development. NIRPC has a six-fold mission: to serve as Northwest Indiana’s metropolitan planning organization and act as the designated recipient for certain transportation funding; to generate meaningful dialogue and cooperation on issues of common concern; to contribute to the development of a common vision pertaining to Northwest Indiana’s future; to provide a forum in which elected officials and other decision-makers can develop and implement solutions to regional problems; to create opportunities for partnership between the public and private sectors; and to provide a common voice for Northwest Indiana in its communications with the state and the federal government.