New Yorkers looking to go green with their next vehicle purchase just got a boost from Governor Kathy Hochul, who has announced an additional $30 million in incentives for electric vehicle (EV) adoption. According to a statement obtained by the Governor's Office, consumers can now tap into the Drive Clean Rebate program to get up to $2,000 off the MSRP of over 60 new EVs. Meanwhile, the Charge Ready NY 2.0 program is adding new benefits to make charging easier across New York.
“New York’s leadership in driving the adoption of electric vehicles is helping consumers stay within their budget when purchasing or leasing a new electric car,” Governor Hochul said. Both the Drive Clean Rebate and Charge Ready NY 2.0 are fueled by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and the State's Clean Energy Fund, designed to push the state towards a cleaner transportation sector and bolster its charging infrastructure. And for those worried about where to plug in, the state is ramping up charger access at key spots like multifamily buildings, workplaces, and hotels, as detailed by the same press release.
The popular Drive Clean Rebate, handled by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), makes crowd-friendly EVs just that much more attractive at participating dealerships. Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA, informed the Governor's Office that switching to electric vehicles lowers the overall cost of owning a vehicle by cutting down on fuel and maintenance expenses. The Charge Ready NY 2.0 boosts financial incentives for installing Level 2 chargers, which are critical to EV integration, upping the ante by $1,000 to $3,000 per port, and even $4,000 in disadvantaged communities.
New York's EV scape is seeing a surge, with more than 280,000 electric vehicles rolling around and over 17,000 public chargers spread out statewide. In a statement obtained by the Governor's Office, Rory M. Christian, CEO of the New York Department of Public Service, praised the initiative saying, “Promoting electric car ownership and use is a win for consumers and a win for the environment. Congratulations to Governor Hochul for supporting the installation of charging stations and helping to ensure drivers have increased options to charge their vehicles.”
The New York International Auto Show, which runs from today through April 27 at the Javits Center, coincides with these announcements. Interested attendees can learn all about the state's EV incentives and charger expansion efforts at the informative NYSERDA and NYPA booth. Jeanette Moy, Commissioner of the New York State Office of General Services, throws her support behind these initiatives as well, stating, “The OGS team is proud to be leading the implementation of Governor Hochul’s mandate to convert the state’s fleet to 100 percent zero-emission vehicles. The investment announced by the Governor today will increase New Yorkers’ access to EVs and EV chargers and contribute to creating a greener, cleaner, and healthier future for our state,” as noted by the Governor's office.
