The Best States to Own an Electric Car

Four States That Rise Above the Rest When It Comes to EV Purchase & Infrastructure Incentives

Electric vehicles are quickly growing in popularity, and many states around the country are actively encouraging residents to purchase electric vehicles. Many buyers are purchasing electric vehicles after learning about the generous incentives that their states offer as well as the advantages to the environment. If you own an electric vehicle, or you’re considering making a purchase soon, below are the best states to buy and live with an electric vehicles. Each one has something special to offer buyers looking at EVs.

California

California is well-known as one of the very best states in which to own an electric car. Not only does the state provide generous tax breaks and incentives for car buyers to purchase electric vehicles, but there are charging stations in most towns and cities across the state. There are even special free charging spots in parking garages in the city of Sacramento, making it cheaper to drive around in an EV within the city. It’s highly convenient driving with an electric car there thanks to HOV lane-access that make traveling faster and easier to do. Below is a breakdown of some of the most common programs that California has in place for EV buyers currently.

Low-income citizens in California can get money off a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or an electric motorcycle. Varying rebates are available from the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project from $5,000 for fuel cell vehicles, to as little as $900 for electric motorcycles with electric cars falling in the middle of that number. Apply for the rebate within 18 months of purchasing a qualifying vehicle before funds are used up (the fund is typically replenished at each budget cycle in the fall).

There’s another rebate in place for residents of the South Coast Air Quality Management District offering between $2,500 and $4,500 for retiring an old vehicle amd replacing it with a low-emission model, including an electric vehicle. Residents that live in a “disadvantaged” community (according to state’s screening program) can get an additional $3,000 to $5,000 when retiring that old vehicle as well.

Not everyone will qualify for all the programs being offered in California, but many EV buyers can cut their costs significantly. And one state legislator has proposed an even more generous incentive program.

New York

New York is a very EV-friendly state that offers plenty of perks to buyers that decide to go with plug-in or full-electric vehicles. The Drive Clean Rebate that kicked in on April 1, 2017, offers up to $2,000 toward the purchase of a PHEV or a BEV, making both vehicles more affordable. There’s also a special charging point rebate that offers up to $5,000 in rebates or 50 percent of the installation cost at qualifying locations. Insurance companies within the state are well-known for offering EV discounts to drivers. There is special plug-in vehicle parking at commercial buildings around the state, and EVs are eligible to drive in the HOV lanes on Staten Island for more convenient travel.

Colorado

Colorado offers the best incentives in the country for electric vehicle owners. There are tax credits in Colorado of up to $5,000 available to car buyers that pick up an electric car and $2,500 available to people that decide to lease an EV There are also special grants available to help property owners install Level 2 chargers on their property that cover up to 80 percent of the cost of these units with rebates up to $3,260 for a single port and $6,260 for a multi-port installation. Property owners interested in Level 3 fast-charge technology can get up to $13,000 for a single-port charging station and up to $16,000 for a multi-port charging location. Colorado encourages a charging infrastructure and it’s easy to find chargers in most cities around the state.

Texas

Texas is another state that’s a well-known advocate of electric vehicles. Austin Energy, one of the larger power companies in the state, offers to pay up to $1,500 towards the cost of a charging station or half the cost of the charging station, whichever is the lower amount. EV buyers can also take advantage of $3,500 in purchase vouchers that make the vehicles considerably more affordable to purchase. It’s important to note that there are vehicle, income and location requirements to benefit from this rebate program.

It pays to own an electric vehicle in one of the states above, and more states around the country are implementing programs that favor electric vehicles and help encourage owners to pick them up.