Compelling Electric Vehicle Rebates
When you are in the market for a new vehicle, consider that electricity is a clean fuel for transportation and, therefore, better for the environment, and also that Electric Vehicles (EV) purchased in California are eligible for several types of rebates. The federal tax credit that once existed for such vehicles phased out in 2020, but the rebates discussed below are still available.
Pacific Gas & Electric
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) offers an EV rebate if you are a customer of their electrical service. PG&E customers who own an EV are eligible to collect an $800 Clean Fuel Rebate that stems from their use of electricity as a clean transportation fuel. The $800 translates into approximately 1.5 years worth of car-fueling electricity. Alternatively, the money could go toward having a charging station installed in your home.
The PG&E rebate is part of a program run by the State of California entitled the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The state program aims to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by promoting cleaner transportation fuel options, one of which is electricity. It is estimated that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by over 65% thanks to consumer use of Electric Vehicles.
Eligibility Requirements
- In order to be eligible for the PG&E rebate, EV owners must own or lease an eligible EV and have active residential electric service provided by PG&E. Alternatively, the holder of the PG&E account can apply on behalf of another EV owner within the same household, and this applies to tenants in multifamily properties as well. The address of the vehicle registration must match the address of the PG&E account.
- The vehicle must not have already received the Clean Fuel Rebate. So if you purchased a pre-owned EV and the prior owner received the rebate, it is no longer available for you.
- Vehicle registration fees must be current.
Application Requirements
- PG&E bill – the rebate application must be in the name of the PG&E account holder. The application requests the PG&E account number, which can be found at the top of the electrical billing statement.
- Current DMV vehicle registration. This will need to be uploaded along with the rebate application.
After receipt of all the above documents, PG&E will review the application, and if the rebate is approved, the check will be mailed to the address associated with the PG&E account.
SMUD
If you do not get your electrical service through PG&E and are instead a SMUD customer, they also offer incentives for the purchase of a new EV vehicle. Pre-owned vehicles are not eligible for SMUD’s rebate, regardless of whether a prior owner received the stipend. SMUD’s EV incentive program offers one of the following two choices:
- A $599 incentive, which approximately covers the average cost to charge a plug-in EV for two years, or
- A 240 volt EV charger
State of California Rebate Program
For EV owners that earn an individual income of less than $150K, California offers a rebate for plug-in hybrid vehicles that have an EPA electric range of more than 35 miles. The vehicle price must be less than $60,000 for the rebate to be collected. If the vehicle cost and owner income requirements are met, battery-powered electric vehicles are eligible for a rebate of $2,000 and plug-in hybrids are eligible for a $1000 rebate. Those rebates are potentially much higher for low-income Californians.
The California state rebates are taken at the point of sale, as cash, or as a check in the mail for up to a year and a half after the sale.
Watch the YouTube Video. Why the Future of Cars is Electric. The video below discusses how there will soon be more EVs on the road.
The available Electric Vehicle rebates offer a compelling financial incentive to consider purchasing an environmentally friendly car.
Stockton Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury attorney in Stockton. Negligent drivers cause accidents. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries caused by a careless or reckless driver, my firm can assist you in recovering compensation for those injuries. Call us anytime for free and friendly advice. Our number for Stockton area residents is (209) 227-1931 and I can also be reached toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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