Massachusetts’ Baker-Polito administration is extending the commonwealth’s electric vehicle (EV) rebate program into 2019. The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) will now be available through at least June 30, 2019.
The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) made a $12 million commitment to the program in 2016, which brought the total funding amount to $20 million, and has since provided an additional $3 million to respond to the increased demand for the program.
“The MOR-EV program has played an important role in increasing the adoption of electric vehicles and reducing greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in Massachusetts,” says Gov. Charlie Baker, R-Mass. “As we work to combat climate change, our administration is committed to supporting electric vehicle adoption and identifying new initiatives to reduce emissions in the transportation sector.”
Starting on Jan. 1, 2019, MOR-EV will be extended and will shift its focus to meet the demands of the industry by supporting only qualifying battery EVs up to a $50,000 sales price with a $1,500 rebate. Current rebate levels and qualifications will continue through Dec. 31, 2018, and consumers must submit a complete MOR-EV rebate application within three months of the vehicle purchase.
Since its inception in 2014, MOR-EV has issued or reserved over $23 million in rebates for over 11,000 cars and has reduced the state’s GHG emissions by an estimated 35,000 metric tons annually, according to DOER.
The program saw steady growth in its first three years, doubling from approximately $250,000 in rebate applications in June 2014 to approximately $500,000 in June 2017. Through June 2018, the rebate application amounts doubled again to approximately $1 million a month, and from June 2018 through September 2018, the program doubled once more to nearly $2 million a month.
MOR-EV is administered on DOER’s behalf by the Center for Sustainable Energy. The funding is financed by Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative auction proceeds and aims to help reduce reliance on foreign oil and meet Massachusetts’ goals under the Global Warming Solutions Act to reduce GHG emissions in the transportation sector 7.6% by 2020.