Driving an Electric Vehicle Is More Affordable Than Ever

This article was originally published on the Edison International Energized blog, written by  Julia Roether.

Drivers have more electric vehicle choices than ever. And, the number of choices is growing. At the Los Angeles Auto Show, more than 30 EV models were shown, including a pickup truck and SUVs. On top of more vehicle choices with longer driving ranges, driving an EV is about to become even more affordable.

Southern California Edison will be offering a $1,000 rebate to customers who purchase or lease a new or used all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle on or after Jan. 1, 2019.

The rebate will be offered through SCE’s Clean Fuel Rewards program. Unlike most rebate programs, second and third EV owners can apply for a rebate. Customers who purchase an EV before Jan. 1, 2019 are eligible for a $450 rebate. These rebates are in addition to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and any applicable California clean vehicle rebates.

“When drivers make the switch to an EV, not only do they contribute to cleaning the air we breathe, they also help us affect climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Katie Sloan, SCE’s director of Transportation Electrification. “Transportation accounts for nearly half of California’s GHG emissions and more than 80 percent of its air pollution.

“Each mile driven using electricity from the grid helps reduce tailpipe emissions. Plus, EV owners also save money on maintenance and lower fuel costs. Fueling an EV is equivalent to paying less than $2 per gallon of gasoline.”

The Clean Fuel Rewards program is made available through the state of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program. It helps combat climate change by encouraging the use of clean vehicle fuels, like electricity. SCE earns credits in the program when customers use electricity at home to charge their EVs. SCE then returns the value of these credits to EV customers through the Clean Fuel Rewards program.

To encourage SCE customers to take advantage of EVs, the company has also launched the Charge Ready Home Installation Rebate Program. The program helps residential customers offset the cost of installing infrastructure that can lower average charging times to 5 1/2 hours or less depending on the car make and model. The faster charging, or Level 2 charging, consists of a professionally installed charger connected to a 240-volt AC outlet, the kind commonly used by washers and dryers.

SCE also has different rate options to help customers save money. These plans may include special rates offering lower costs for charging off-peak or at night. The EV Rate Assistant tool can help customers determine a rate that is best for them.