Tesla Stamford Service and Leasing Center Grand Opening

Ribbon Cutting, Featuring Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons

With approximately 2000 registered Teslas in CT and only one service center, this additional coverage will be welcomed by Tesla owners.

The new service center, located at 106 Commerce Road in Stamford, near the border with Old Greenwich, is a service and leasing center like the facility in Milford. There is a showroom. Leasing paperwork can be completed. And test drives can be arranged. There can be no discussion of costs, financing or anything else that falls under the label of “sales,” as the franchise laws prohibit this and prevent Tesla from opening stores.

For leased vehicles, even though the paperwork can be completed in Stamford or Milford, vehicle delivery must occur at Mohegan Sun or Mt. Kisco, NY. (Where the delivery occurs is generally not up to the customer.) For customers leasing or purchasing a car from inventory, a lot of that inventory locally is stored at Mt. Kisco. The delivery experience between the two locales is different in that a vehicle delivered at Mohegan Sun will be registered in CT, whereas a Mt. Kisco delivery will come with a temporary NY registration and temp plates. Tesla will then transfer the registration to CT.

A welcome announcement came from Mayor Simmons when she revealed that the city will be converting its fleet to electric. And the project to install 12 dual-port, level 2 chargers in Government Center Garage will be moving forward.

As welcome as this is, we (and Tesla) know that the greater Hartford area is the biggest remaining need. The facility under construction in Springfield, MA, expected to open next year will partially help.




Scenes from the NorthEast Electric Vehicle Symposium

EV Test Drives, Showcase, and Symposium on September 15th and 16th

We would like to thank everyone who joined us for the NorthEast Electric Vehicle Symposium (NEEVS).

Sunday attendance was approximately 250 for the EV showcase, test drives, and sage on a stage presentations. About 200 test drives were given. Another 80 or so joined us on Monday for the presentations.

Thank you to our sponsors for generously supporting this event:

Gold Sponsor: BMW

Silver Sponsors: Live Green CT, EVNoire, West Electric, Eastern Mechanical Services

Bronze Sponsors: New Haven Clean Cities, Leifer Properties, Ikea, Inductive Autoworks, Earthlight Energy Solutions, Capitol Area Clean Cities, Connecticut Green Bank, Flux Marine, Tecknow, Alfa Romeo of Westport, Hotel Marcel, Ikea, Conservation Law Foundation, Pirelli and Susan Vanech Properties/Compass Coastal.

Photos from the Event:

Daphne Dixon and Claire Abate

 

Alfa Romeo TonaleRich Jordan

 

 

Bryce Jones of Pirelli Tires Presenting from a Ford F150 LightningBMW i4, BMW i5, BMW iX - EV Test Drives at the NorthEast Electric Vehicle Symposium 2024Phil Levieff, Analiese Mione, Dawn Henry, Demetri Spantidos, Daphne Dixon, Barry Kresch at NEEVS

 

Rivian Electric Delivery VanElectric Garbage TruckAnaliese Mione of EV Club CT and Brandon Smith of EVNoireFlux Marine Electric BoatPhil Levieff of EV Club CT and John SturzWestport Police

Jonathan Untied of Inductive AutoCybertruck in Full Tailgate ModeBarry Kresch and Charles Rothenberger

EV Garbage Truck from BattleMatt Ferrell, Sharon Huttner, Stephan Hartmann, Iline Mirkine at NEEVSDaphne Dixon presenting Model EV Zoning Regulations

Marissa GillettNew Haven Mayor Justin Eliker

Brandon Smith of EVNoireDawn Henry, Demetri Spantidos, Bruce Becker of EV Club and Flux Marine

Paul BrarenRivian R1SHotel Marcel E-Van

Labels: Row 1 – Daphne Dixon, Claire Abate of Live Green CT; Alpha Romero Tonale, Rich Jordan of CT Tesla Club with attendee

Row 2 – Bryce Jones of Pirelli Tires; BMW iX, i5, i4 for test drives; Phil Levieff, Analiese Mione, Dawn Henry, Demetri Spantidos, Daphne Dixon, Barry Kresch

Row 3 – Rivian E-Van, Battle EV Garbage Truck, Analiese Mione, Brandon Smith

Row 4 – Flux Marine e-boat, EV Club booth, Westport Police with Tesla Model 3 and Y patrol cars

Row 5 – Jon Untied of Inductive Auto, Tesla Cybertruck ready for tailgating with TV and cold drinks, Barry Kresch and Charles Rothenberger of Save the Sound

Row 6 – EV truck from Battle; Panelists Mike Ferrell, Sharon Huttner, Mike Frisbie, Stephan Hartmann, Iline Mirkine; Daphne Dixon

Row 7 – PURA Chair Marissa Gillett, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, Team Earthlight

Row 8 – Brandon Smith; Flux Marine, Dawn Henry, Demetri Spantidos, Bruce Becker

Row 9 – Paul Braren, Rivian R1S, Maxwell e-shuttle




Downtown Westport Overnight Charging – Idling Fees Waived

Idling Fees Waived for Overnight Charging at Baldwin

The EV charging stations located in the Baldwin lot in downtown Westport, installed a year ago, have a fee of $.35 per kWh. However, this is a timed lot, and for any EV sitting at a charger longer than the 3-hour limit, an idling fee is charged following a 15-minute grace period. It is $10/hour, charged in 15 minute increments.

These are 80-amp level 2 chargers. While an EV can get a fair amount of charge (depending on the speed enabled by the vehicle’s onboard charger) in 3 hours, it isn’t enough time to fully charge from a near depleted state. We have heard from some folks who live near downtown and do not have charging at home who would like to use these for longer than the current limit.

That is now being enabled by the town. We don’t have all the details yet concerning specific hours and when the network vendor, EVConnect, will have it enabled, but the idling fees are being waived for overnight parking. The standard per kWh rate still applies. This will help nearby EV owners to charge and will mean additional utilization/more revenue for the town.

Also, there are no idling fees for the chargers in the Metro-North commuter lots.

We applaud the town for taking this step and will update with more specifics as we learn of them.

Allowing overnight charging at public chargers can reduce charging anxiety, generally speaking. It is a particularly great approach if situated near multi-family housing where available charging options may be limited.




Federal EV Incentive – 2025 Outlook

Changes to Battery Rules and Used EV Supply

2025 will bring a large increase in the supply of eligible used EVs and new restrictions on battery critical minerals and component manufacturing..

Changes in Battery Sourcing Rules

Each year, the law requires a step-up in the minimum source-compliant rules for batteries.

  • The percentage of critical minerals sourced either domestically or from a free-trade partner increases from 50% to 60%.
  • The battery-module manufacturing requirement remains at 60% from North America.
  • IRS loosened rules around the sourcing of graphite to take effect in 2025.
  • Foreign entity of concern rules now apply to battery assembly as well as critical mineral sourcing. That means that for the 40% that does not have to come eligible sources, none can come from any entity deemed a FEOC. Of course, this is mainly China, but applies to some other places as well.

Many vehicles lost eligibility in 2024 as the requirements became more stringent and the first part of the FEOC kicked-in. On the other hand, the industry is grateful for the recent flexibility on graphite, an area in which China is even more dominant.

The OEMs are working hard to wrangle their supply chains to become compliant. We expect a gradual increase in eligible vehicles as new plants open in North America.

The above rules apply only to consumer purchases. They do not apply for leases or commercial purchases. On the basis of a controversial IRS ruling, these vehicles are not required to comply with the consumer purchase rules. It has driven skyrocketing increases in the rate of EV leases. According to Kelly Blue Book, leases now account for almost half of new EV sales and have surpassed financing as the preferred method for acquiring a new EV.

Used EV Incentive

This is one area where there will be a significant change for the better. Despite the gloom and doom reporting, EV sales are growing. In CT, EVs represented 10.4% of all new vehicle sales in Q2 of this year, according to CT DEEP. The July Connecticut DMV registration data show that EV registrations increased by 45% year on year, on top of a similar increase the year before.

What that means is that increasing numbers of EVs are eligible for the used incentive. The rule regarding vehicle age is that the model year of the vehicle must be at least 2 years older than the current calendar year. So, as of January, all of the 2023 EVs become eligible. Every year, the pool will increase.

There are lots of other rules around new and used EVs. See our Incentives page for a full description.




Cybertruck Test Drives Available in Milford

Tesla Cybertruck Test Drives Now Available

The drives are being offered at Tesla’s Service and Leasing center in Milford. This is the Tesla page to book a test drive for any of their models.

This follows the first Cybertruck test drives offered in the state at our NorthEast Electric Vehicle Symposium last month. As the 75 or so people who drove the CT that day can attest, the handling is amazingly nimble for a vehicle of this size.

We expect test drives to be available in the new Stamford facility as well.

More EV Pickups Being Introduced

It is a category that has seen an increasing number of entrants from the likes of Rivian, Ford, Chevrolet and GMC. Numerous sources have reported that Cybertruck has overtaken the Ford F150 Lightning as the best selling electric pickup in second quarter. It is hard to tell exactly what the sales are because Tesla does not break out individual models. Their “other vehicles” category, which includes the Model S and X, accounted for 21,551 sales according to Inside EVs, which speculates, using indirect data such as recalls, that Tesla produced roughly 12,000 trucks, compared to 7902 for the Lightning. There are other reasons why the comparison is rough. For one thing, a sale for Ford is when the dealership takes title to the vehicle, whereas with Tesla, it is when the consumer receives it. Most of these pickup models are quite new and some have been supply-constrained.

Configurations and Incentives

Tesla has stopped taking orders for the Foundation series and the configurator shows the All-Wheel Drive ($79,990) and Cyberbeast ($103,490).

The AWD starts at a low enough price that it squeaks by for the federal incentive if no options are ordered. The incentive MSRP cap is $80,000 for a pickup. There is also an income limitation of $300,000 for joint filers, which may be an issue for someone who can afford $80K for a vehicle. Anyway, that is moot for the time being. The configurator does not indicate that the vehicle qualifies. Tesla is usually very good at maximizing incentives, so it wouldn’t surprise us if things will change; we just don’t know when.

Leases and commercial transactions do qualify for the federal $7500 incentive as those are not subject to the rules for consumer purchases.

 

 




Interim Updates on JuiceBox Chargers from UI

Enel X to Continue to Support Chargers…For Now

We have published a previous post and updates following the announcement from Enel X, maker of JuiceBox chargers, of their abrupt withdrawal from the North American market. The original announcement was that while the chargers would work, the software would no longer be available. Not only would that negate the smart charger functionality of the equipment, these units were approved for the charging incentives offered by Eversource and UI and they would no longer be able to track compliance with the managed charging program. Commercial chargers would be completely dead without the software.

Subsequent to the initial announcement, Enel X said they would continue to support the software for both residential and commercial for the time being. Per UI, Enel plans to auction off their North American business to a third party.

Still Solving for Managed Charging

Having some interim software support for the chargers does not equate to the utilities being able to track the data they need. UI reports that at present it has lost visibility and that  its back-end provider is working on a solution with Enel. This may take a couple of weeks. At that point, they expect to be back in business until at least the end of the year. This prospective solution may work beyond that but that is still tbd at this time.

UI and Eversource have different back-end providers, so it is not a given that there is a solution in the offing for Eversource. We have not received an update from them.

Vehicle Connection (Telematics)

If your vehicle is able to enroll via telematics, both utilities recommend going that route. For your viewing pleasure, below is a list of every eligible telematics vehicle. The list is not identical for Eversource and UI.

Eversource Customers
Electric Vehicle Make Electric Vehicle Model
Acura ZDX: 2024 models and newer
Audi A5 PHEV: 2022 models and newer

 

 

Eversource Customers
Electric Vehicle Make Electric Vehicle Model
A7 PHEV: 2021 models and newer
A8 PHEV: 2020 models and newer
e-tron: 2019 models and newer
Q4 e-tron: 2022 models and newer
e-tron GT: 2022 models and newer
e-tron Sportback: 2022 models and newer
A7 TSFle: 2022 models and newer
Q5 TFSle: 2020 models and newer
Q5 PHEV: 2022 models and newer
Q8 e-tron: 2022 models and newer
BMW 3 Series PHEV: 2016 models and newer
5 Series PHEV: 2017 models and newer
7 Series PHEV: 2017 models and newer
330e: 2021 models and newer
530e: 2022 models and newer
745e: 2022 models and newer
i3: 2017-2021 models
i3 (+REX) : 2017-2021 models
i5: 2024 models and newer
i4: 2021 models and newer
i7: 2023 models and newer
i8: 2016-2020 models
iX: 2021 models and newer
X3 PHEV: 2020-2021 models
X5 PHEV: 2016 models and newer
X5 xDrive45e: 2022 models and newer
Cadillac CT6 PHEV: 2017-2018 models
ELR: 2015-2016 models
LYRIQ: 2023 models and newer
Chevrolet Blazer EV: 2024 models and newer
Bolt EV: 2017 models and newer
Bolt EUV: 2022 models and newer
Spark EV: 2015-2016 models

 

 

Eversource Customers
Electric Vehicle Make Electric Vehicle Model
Volt: 2015-2019 models
Silverado EV: 2024 models and newer
Equinox EV: 2024 models and newer
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 2017 models and newer
Dodge Hornet PHEV: 2023 models and newer
Fiat 500e: 2024 models and newer
GMC Hummer EV: 2022 models and newer
Honda Prologue: 2024 models and newer
Hyundai IONIQ Plug-In Hybrid: 2018 models and newer
IONIQ Electric: 2017-2021 models
Ioniq 5: 2022 models and newer
Ioniq 6: 2023 models and newer
Kona Electric: 2019 models and newer
Santa Fe PHEV: 2022 models and newer
Sonata Plug-In Hybrid: 2017-2019
Tucson PHEV: 2022 models and newer
Jaguar I-Pace: 2019 models and newer
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe: 2022 models and newer
Wrangler 4xe: 2021 models and newer
Kia EV6: 2022 models and newer
EV9: 2024 models and newer
Sorentra PHEV: 2022 models and newer
Optima PHEV: 2017-2020 models
Niro EV: 2019 models and newer
Niro PHEV: 2018 models and newer
Soul EV: 2017-2020 models
Sportage PHEV: 2023 models and newer
Land Rover Range Rover PHEV P400e: 2019-2021 models
Range Rover Sport PHEV P400e: 2019-2021 models
Lexus RX 450h PHEV: 2023 models and newer
RZ: 2023 models and newer
Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring: 2022 models and newer

 

 

Eversource Customers
Electric Vehicle Make Electric Vehicle Model
Corsair Grand Touring: 2021 models and newer
Mazda CX-60 PHEV: 2024 models and newer
CX-90 PHEV: 2024 models and newer
MX-30: 2022 models and newer
 

Mercedes-Benz

GLC PHEV: 2019-2020 models
S-Class PHEV: 2019 models and newer
EQ Series: 2022 models and newer
Mini SE Countryman E: 2018 models and newer
SE Hardtop: 2020 models and newer
 

Nissan

Ariya: 2023 models and newer
LEAF SV: 2018 to 2022 models
LEAF SL: 2018 to 2022 models
 

Porsche

992 PHEV: 2022 models and newer
Cayenne PHEV: 2020 models and newer
Taycan: 2020 models and newer
Ram 1500 REV: 2025 models and newer
Rivian R1T: 2022 models and newer
R1S: 2022 models and newer
Subaru Solterra: 2023 models and newer
 

 

Tesla

Model 3: 2017 models and newer
Model S: 2012 models and newer
Model X: 2016 models and newer
Model Y: 2020 models and newer
CyberTruck: 2023 models and newer
 

Toyota

bZ4X: 2023 models and newer
Prius Prime: 2017 models and newer
Rav4 Prime: 2021 models and newer
Volkswagen e-Golf: 2020 models and newer
ID.4: 2023 models and newer
Tiguan PHEV: 2023 models and newer
Volvo S60 PHEV: 2019-2022 models
S90PHEV: 2018-2021 models
V60 PHEV: 2020-2022 models

 

 

Eversource Customers
Electric Vehicle Make Electric Vehicle Model
XC60 PHEV: 2018-2021 models
XC90 PHEV: 2016-2022 models

 

 

 

 

 

United Illuminating Customers
Car Make Car Model andYear                EligibleTier             
Baseline Advanced
Acura ZDX 2024+
Alfa Romeo Tonale 2023+
 

 

Audi

A5 2022+
A7 2021+
A8 2020+
e-tron 2019+
Q4 e-tron 2022+
Q5 2020+
3 Series 2016+
5 Series 2017+
7 Series 2017+
i3 2016 – 2021
i3 REX 2016 – 2021
BMW i4 2021+
i5 2024+
i7 2023+
i8 2016 – 2020
iX 2021+
X3 2020 – 2021
X5 2016+
CT6 2017 – 2018
Cadillac ELR 2015 – 2016
LYRIQ 2023+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Car Make Car Model and Year Eligible Tier

 

 

Baseline Advanced
 

 

 

Chevrolet

Blazer EV 2024+
Bolt EUV 2022+
Bolt EV 2017+
Equinox EV 2024+
Silverado EV 2024+
Spark EV 2015 – 2016
Volt 2015 – 2019
Dodge Hornet 2023+
Fiat 500e 2024+
GMC Hummer EV 2022+
Honda Prologue 2024+
 

 

 

 

Hyundai

Ioniq 5 2022+
IONIQ 6 2023+
IONIQ Electric 2017 – 2021
IONIQ PHEV 2018+
Kona Electric 2019+
Santa Fe PHEV 2022+
Sonata PHEV 2017 – 2019
Tucson 2022+
Jaguar I Pace 2019+
 

 

 

 

Kia

EV6 2022+
EV9 2024+
Niro EV 2019+
Niro PHEV 2018+
Optima PHEV 2017 – 2020
Sorento 2022+
Soul EV 2017 – 2020
Sportage PHEV 2023+
Land Rover RR P 400 E 2019 – 2021
RR Sport P 400 E 2019 – 2021
Lexus RX 450 H 2023+
RZ 2023+
Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring 2020+
Corsair Grand Touring 2021+
 

Mazda

CX-60 2024+
CX-90 2024+
MX-30 2022+
Car Make Car Model and Year Eligible Tier
Baseline Advanced

 

Mercedes-Benz EQ Series 2022+
S-CLASS PHEV 2019+
GLC PHEV 2019 – 2020
Mini SE Countryman 2018+
SE Hardtop 2020+
Nissan Ariya 2023+
 

Porsche

992 2022+
Cayenne 2020+
Taycan 2020+
Ram 1500 REV 2025+
Rivian R1S 2022+
R1T 2022+
Subaru Crosstrek-Hybrid 2019+
Solterra 2023+
 

 

Tesla

Cybertruck 2024+
Model 3 2017+
Model S 2012+
Model X 2016+
Model Y 2020+
 

Toyota

bZ4X 2023+
Prius Prime 2017+
RAV 4 Prime 2021+
 

Volkswagen

e-Golf 2020 – 2020
ID 4 2021+
Tiguan 2023+
 

 

Volvo

S60 2019 – 2022
S90 2018 – 2021
V60 2020 – 2022
XC60 2018 – 2021
XC90 2016 – 2022

 

 




EV and Distributed Energy Resource Provide Resiliency During FL Hurricane

An Example of How Distributed Resources Create Resilience

A club-member received this text message from a friend who lives in Stuart, FL, a city on the eastern coast of the state where Hurricane Milton came through as a category 1 storm after spawning tornadoes. It is a good illustration of how EVs and distributed energy resources can contribute to resilience.

“Thanks for checking in.  Our home is fine…survived beautifully….never lost power thanks to Tesla Powerwalls.   The rest of the community and county had some major power issues.   Tornado touched down about 3 blocks away, no injuries, just more  power outages in the area. Also, some trees down and turned over a semi-truck.  Hospital (family run Vet hospital) lost power around midnight, but I powered it from the Cybertruck until the power came back around 2pm this afternoon.   At home, we had trimmed all the trees earlier this week,  so only a few branches down.  That’s about it.   Nothing like North Carolina.”




EnelX Way Pulling Out of North America

Enel X Way, Maker of JuiceBox EV Chargers That Are Part of the CT EV Charging Incentive Program, Shutting Down in North America

Update Oct. 13 – Enel X has apparently found a workaround and software service will not be disrupted. (Customer service for the hardware is offline.) This is an article in Electrek with more detail. Based on this, participants in the managed charging programs should be able to continue. We have had several members send us communications from Enel X or the utilities. Please keep us updated.

=========================================================================

Enel had previously announced big plans for a USA and Canada charging network, including installing 10,000 DCFC chargers by 2030. Now they are closing it down, though they are a huge company that remains in business in many other countries.

According to a statement posted on the JuiceBox website:

“After careful consideration, Enel X Way North America has decided to close its electric mobility business in the US and Canada, operated by the local subsidiary of Enel X Way USA, effective October 11, 2024.”

This is what they say about how it affects customers:

  • Residential charging hardware (JuiceBox) will maintain the physical operating ability to charge vehicles, but that is it. (In other words, they become dumb chargers.)
  • All Enel X Way software will be discontinued. Commercial charging stations will no longer work absent software.
  • The Enel X Way App and all other Enel e-mobility apps in North America will be discontinued and removed from the App Store.
  • Enel X Way customer support is no longer available, effective immediately. Any Enel X Way related questions and claims should be directed in the coming days to the claims information page (available soon). (The emphasis is theirs.)

The entire website, except for this one status page has been taken offline.

Impact on Managed Charging Incentives

There are Juicebox chargers that are approved equipment for EV charging incentives offered through Eversource and United Illuminating. Without software support, it will not be possible for the consumer to schedule charging nor for the utility to track it. The utilities were not given advance notice of the Enel decision.

We have been forwarded a few emails from members that were sent from Eversource and Enel X. Enel X is reporting that they are working to transition to the software of a third party. It sounds like they have made progress and there may be no interruption in service.

The emails we have seen from Eversource haven’t yet mentioned this. It may well be coming. But at this point, they suggest that if a vehicle is eligible for telematics, the customer can re-enroll and continue that way. Otherwise, they will be paid out through September and no longer part of the program. There is also the opportunity to subsequently re-enroll if the charger is replaced with an approved unit.

GM vehicles, which are not on the Eversource list of eligible telematics vehicles, are apparently able to connect through OnStar, which may require a paid subscription. GM vehicles are on the list of UI telematics vehicles.




Cuts Expected for CHEAPR in 2025

The chart at the top of the post shows the number of rebates and amount of funds awarded monthly through August 2024. The reason for the dip in August is that there is only partial-month reporting available at this time.

This information is based on recent the CHEAPR board meeting.

CHEAPR Program Running Hot

As can be seen in the chart, the CT EV purchase incentive program has been running hot over the past 16 or so months. Between price cuts on the Tesla Models 3 and Y, along with new models being introduced by the legacy manufacturers, CHEAPR has dispensed $7.9 million worth of rebates this calendar year through July 30 with another $600 thousand in the processing pipeline. Last year, $8.9 million was dispensed in total and this year will clearly exceed that. Fortunately, there have been carryover funds from past under-performance, but those will be burned through by next year.

Cuts Looming

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has budgeted $9.2 million annually for incentive payments. Incentive payouts follow consumer demand and rebate levels, and 87% of the expenditures have been going to the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) standard incentive. The remainder is divided amongst PHEV rebates, along with supplemental rebates and used EV rebates for income limited individuals. A cut to the size of the standard rebate for BEVs will be used to slow the burn rate. While final action has not yet been taken, it is expected that the $2250 standard BEV rebate will be rolled back to $1500 as of January 1. Based on the first quarter run-rate, a further cut to $1000 is possible for July.

EVs are currently in over-supply and discounts are widely available. It might make sense to take advantage of the full rebate while it is still here.

Increases for Plus Rebates

If cuts are made to the standard rebate, the tentative plan is to increase the size of the plus rebates. These rebates are for people who have a household income of no more than 3 times the federal poverty rate, or are enrolled in a qualifying state or federal government assistance program, such as food stamps or free school lunches, or live in an environmental justice community or distressed municipality. (This is the page that details these criteria.) For a new BEV, the Plus incentive would increase to $3000 from $2000, for a total incentive of $4500, assuming the standard incentive is rolled back to $1500. There would be increases in the PHEV incentive, and used BEV/PHEV incentives as well.

Increasing the Plus rebates will not break the bank as there are relatively few of them.

The legislature authorized increasing the size of the Plus rebates to up to 200% of the standard rebate level, which is what this would be if the standard rebate were to be cut to $1500. It is not clear to us how the Plus incentive could be further increased without exceeding the 200% threshold.

The same legislation called for a program goal to dispense 40% of the funding to EJ/distressed communities by 2030. Currently, the closest proxy we have to that number, the Plus rebates, sits at about 6%, looking at the data since the end of June. That is a lot higher than it used to be, but nowhere near 40%. Clearly, a direction has been set for the program and we should expect to see changes between now and then.

One of the changes that has driven higher participation in the Plus rebate process is the option of a pre-qualification voucher. That way, the buyer knows they’re approved before the purchase, and the incentive can come off the invoice price (as opposed to a post-purchase reimbursement which is what it was initially).

Will The Marketplace Change In A Way That Affects This?

Much of the non-Tesla part of the manufacturing side of the industry has announced pullbacks in their BEV expansion plans and a revived emphasis on plug-in hybrids. The numbers in the CHEAPR program aren’t showing this to this point, though there is a lagging effect in terms of announcements relative to consumer adoption. The point is that if PHEVs gain market share, it will slow the burn rate. Unlike in the Inflation Reduction Act, PHEV incentives in CHEAPR are much lower than BEV incentives, $750 vs $2250 at current rates.

Fleet Incentive Postponement

A major program enhancement passed in the 2021 legislation and codified in Public Act 22-25 is the implementation of a very inclusive incentive for fleets – commercial, non-profit, municipal, and tribal. There had been $2 million budgeted for this in 2024, but the program is still in the design phase and will not launch this year. As indicated by the $2 million (which is not necessarily the number going forward), this is a finite resource. Equity will be prioritized for fleets, but it is not the only consideration. The tentative rubric that was developed for prioritizing the submissions is described in this earlier blog post from the time of the legislative session.

Rebates by Make/Model

This is the number of rebates by make/model for available Q3 data. Keep in mind that qualifying vehicles must have a base trim-level MSRP of no more than $50,000. (This is different than the Inflation Reduction Act federal incentive MSRP definition, where the price cap includes factory-installed options.)

CHEAPR Rebates by Make-Model for July and partial August




V2B

Vehicle to Band

Heard at the NorthEast Electric Vehicle Symposium, dateline September 16, 2024…

An important partner for the EV Club is the PACE organization (People’s Action for Clean Energy). PACE president, Mark Sculley, plays in a band, Temporary Sanity, that had an outdoor gig at Burlington Tavern Day over the weekend. Since there was no power near the stage, a gas generator was used, which unfortunately, ran out of gas midway through the set. Talk about range anxiety!

However, the band’s sound tech drives a Rivian R1T, so no problem! They just plugged the equipment into the vehicle. It worked seamlessly and barely made a dent in the battery state of charge. Let’s think about this – what would use more energy, powering an electric guitar or moving a 7,148 pound vehicle?

It’s not quite “Where’s Waldo,” but the truck is a little hard to spot – it is on the right side of the photo, powering zero-emission tunes.

EVs are hard to beat, but they also have a good beat and you can dance to them.

New Rivian Test Drive Center

Rivian recently opened a service and test drive center in Blauvelt, New York. Blauvelt is just across the Mario Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge in Rockland County. The recently opened service center in Shelton does not offer test-drives. That is why it was a treat to have them join us at the Symposium to offer test-drives locally.

Truck-Powered Presentations

For those of you who saw the Sunday presentations delivered from the bed of a Ford F150 Lightning pickup, the mic and PA were powered by the truck, courtesy of our sponsor, Earthlight Technology. Below is Bryce Jones of Pirelli Tires speaking about what goes into an EV tire.

It was nice harmony that we were able to have a representative from Pirelli Tires present at the Hotel Marcel, which in a previous life served as a Pirelli manufacturing facility and headquarters.

Out of Spec Dave presenting at NorthEast Electric Vehicle Symposium from the bed of a Ford F150 Lightning

Bryce Jones of Pirelli Tires presenting 0n the bed of a Ford F-150 Lightning under a solar canopy.

Photo: Shawn O’Sullivan

Hotel Marcel and solar canopies

Hotel Marcel, formerly Pirelli Tires HQ, with solar canopies in foreground.