Tax credits and incentives for enticing American drivers to buy electric vehicles are in the thick right now. In Los Angeles, California, in particular, you’ve got access to the $7,500 federal credit, $2,500 state rebate and now expanded and improved electric vehicle charger rebates for home, workplace and public charging through the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
The program, known as “Charge Up LA! – Home, Work, and On the Go,” builds upon what’s called a successful initial EV charger rebate trial that resulted in over 500 residential charger installations in Los Angeles. The new offering, which kicks off August 1 and runs through June 30, 2015, has as its goal 2,000 rebates.
Those enrolling in the LADWP rebate process will get financial help towards the costs of installing Level 2 chargers (240 Volt), which are three to five times faster than Level 1 chargers (120 Volt), in their home or business. Three specific types of charging will be supported:
- Home Charging: residential customers who purchase an EV are eligible for a $750 rebate when they purchase and install a wall-mounted charger. Customers who choose to install a separate Time-of-Use meter for their EV charger to take advantage of the LADWP off-peak EV discount rate will receive an additional $250 credit on their LADWP bill.
- Workplace Charging: commercial rebates are targeted toward Los Angeles businesses with 250 employees at a work site required to comply with the Rideshare Program – Rule 2202, of the Southern California Air Quality Management District. Up to $750 is available for each wall mounted charger and $1000 for pedestal-type chargers.
- Public Charging: Rebates will be made available to commercial companies that place chargers in public places. The rebate amounts are the same as the Workplace charging rebates.
The new rebates are available to both residential and commercial customers, noted LADWP, on a first-come first-served basis until funds are exhausted or the program date ends.
“These significant rebates for our residential and business customers show our strong commitment to supporting electric vehicles,” said said LADWP General Manager Ron Nichols, in a statement. “When our customers charge their EVs overnight at their homes, they will be doing so when LADWP’s renewable wind resources are typically at their peak, resulting in a truly zero-emission transportation solution.”
The City of Los Angeles, meanwhile, is doing its part to make electric vehicle chargers more useful to its citizens, retrofitting “140 legacy EV chargers on City property, including City Hall, the LA Convention Center, LAX, and other locations. System upgrades will continue with more planned throughout the year and well into the next.”