The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is considering changes to its electric vehicle rebate program. In recent years, ARB has shifted rebates to an income-based scale to, as Gas2 puts it, “avoid the charge that the incentives the state was offering were mostly benefiting wealthy tech tycoons and Hollywood stars replacing their Porsches with Teslas.” Now another change could make it even easier for average car buyers to purchase EVs by offering rebates at the point of sale. Previously, the rebate money rolled in after the car was purchased. By offering it when the car is actually sold, the rebate effectively makes monthly payments lower and could qualify buyers for financing who previously may not have made the cut. The pilot is expected to roll out in San Diego later this year.
More information about the program can be found here.