What Washington's EV rebates bought

Plus an update on PDC ruling on case against LGW, recommended reading, and a save the date.

Washington’s hot rebate summer saw thousands more electric rides hit the road thanks to a new subsidy for low-income drivers, now dwindling in supply.

The Department of Commerce’s Electric Vehicle Instant Rebates program was conceived as a leg-up for low earners in the state who want to skip trips to the gas station, but can’t afford a new (or new-ish) EV.

The program launched in August, and offered everything its name implies—$5,000 off the purchase of a qualifying new EV or $9K off a 36-month lease.¹ That’s all on top of the slate of federal rebates for EVs.

Low income is the operative term here. We're talking about a single person earning a max of $45K annually or a family of four making $93K. Although uptake for the program was high, the question of whether the rebate goes far enough to incentivize low-income drivers to go electric is still debatable.

Photo by Denin Lawley on Unsplash