Connecticut unveils rebates for EV leasers, buyers and sellers

Residents of Connecticut, USA will soon benefit from significant financial incentives to buy or lease EVs thanks to a new state-wide initiative. A $1 million fund will be used to attribute rebates of up to $3,000 to local inhabitants, businesses and municipalities.

The Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Program (CHEAPR) will be financed from the settlement fund of the Northeast Utilities/NSTAR merger, rather than using state funds. Three different categories of rebate will be available. The first, which will entitle people to the maximum $3,000 rebate, is for vehicles with a battery capacity of at least 18 kWh, including the Nissan LEAF. The other two categories, for lower capacity batteries, will offer rebates of $1,500 or $750.

Local EV vendors will also benefit from the new initiative, with 20% of the programme’s overall budget allocated as bonuses to dealerships that manage to sell electric or hydrogen vehicles. Connecticut currently has just over 1,600 registered EVs and is part of a multi-state action plan that aims to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on the roads by 2025.

The state is also investigating other measures to encourage EV adoption, such as establishing special charging rates based on the time of day and providing clearer signage on public charging stations.