CT becomes more EV friendly with passage of the Connecticut Clean Air Act

If you live in Connecticut and have been thinking about making the switch to an electric car, this article is for you!

With the passage of the Connecticut Clean Air Act (P.A. 22-25), buying and owning an EV in Connecticut has become even more affordable and convenient. This new legislation has nearly tripled funding for the state’s CHEAPR (Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate) program, which means more savings and options for more Connecticut residents that are considering an electric car. While the new law covers lots of benefits to improve the air quality in Connecticut, here are five perks that benefit drivers in Connecticut specifically:

1. Save money on the purchase or lease of a new EV: While several states offer tax breaks towards the purchase of a new EV, all individuals in Connecticut are offered an “on the hood” rebate of $2,250 off the cost of more than 30 eligible fully electric EVs below the program’s newly increased MSRP cap of $50,000, including the Tesla Model 3 RWD, The Mustang Mach-E, the Kia EV6 and the Volkswagen ID4. Interested in a plug-in hybrid electric car like the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV? That’ll net you a rebate of $750. When you couple the state’s standard rebate with the $7,500 federal tax credit for some eligible vehicles, you could see a savings of up to $9,750 off the full price of a new EV. Click here to see the full list of eligible EVs

2. Even more savings for low-and-moderate income (LMI) individuals: For individuals in Connecticut that participate in certain state and federal income qualified programs, Rebate+ offers an additional $2,000 on top of the standard rebate for a new fully electric EV and $1,500 on top of the standard rebate for a new PHEV, meaning a total savings of $4,250 and $2,250 from state rebates alone! Used EVs are also eligible for a total rebate of $3,000 for a fully electric EV or $1,1,25 for a PHEV under the Rebate+ program, making those typically lower cost used EVs an even more attractive option. Connecticut will also be improving access for LMI individuals through new program improvements over the next year.  The Connecticut Clean Air Act allows the state to develop a voucher program so that individuals can walk into the dealership precleared for a rebate.

3. New vouchers for e-bikes provide more transportation options: If you’d rather travel by bike than car, Connecticut will be establishing a state-wide electric bicycle voucher program! While details are still being formalized, the e-bike incentive will be for at least $500 towards the purchase of a new electric bicycle valued up to $3,000. With higher cruising speeds than traditional bikes due to their small electric motors, e-bikes can be an attractive way to commute around cities and communities throughout the state at a fraction of the cost of a vehicle.

4. Everyone has the “right to charge:” Under the Connecticut Clean Air Act, landlords and management companies can no longer place unreasonable restrictions on the installation or use of EV charging stations for common or unit-specific parking spaces upon receiving a written request. While tenants will be responsible for covering the cost of purchasing, installing and maintaining the charging station, this change in the law means that thousands of individuals who live in apartments, condos and other multi-unit dwellings can have access to “at-home” charging.

5. More public charging options throughout the state: The new law mandates that by 2023, certain new state, municipal and school construction projects must reserve 20 percent of their parking spaces for EV charging stations. This will ensure that the number of public charging stations continue to grow as more drivers throughout the state make this switch to an electric car!