New York State Governor Cuomo Announces Additional $30 Million Available for Drive Clean Rebate Program

Point-Of-Sale Rebate Changes Will Help More Consumers Buy Electric Vehicles to Lower Their Carbon Footprint and Improve Air Quality in New York State

Supports Governor Cuomo’s Nation-Leading Goals in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an additional $30 million is now available through New York State’s Drive Clean Rebate program to encourage more consumers to lease or purchase an all-electric car or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The funding and program changes will enhance vehicle affordability and help more New Yorkers take action to lower their carbon footprint while driving. These actions will build on significant progress to-date, with more than 37,000 EV rebates, totaling more than $54 million, provided under the Drive Clean Rebate program, which is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. This announcement supports Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading clean energy and climate goals in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
 
“New York is putting more electric vehicles on the road as part of our comprehensive strategy to electrify the transportation sector and build a more sustainable future,” Governor Cuomo said. “Reducing emissions from vehicles will continue to enhance the quality of life in communities across New York by improving air quality, especially in disadvantaged communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change.”

“As I travel throughout New York State, I’m proud to see more electric vehicles on the road, many supported through the Drive Clean Rebate Program, along with the necessary charging station infrastructure located throughout our communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “As we focus on our economic recovery for the post-pandemic future, we want to help New Yorkers make the switch to an electric vehicle, resulting in less pollution and a cleaner and greener New York.”

The program changes are being made so more rebates can be distributed throughout the market, with some rebate ranges being lowered to allow more New Yorkers to take advantage of the incentives. The program incentive levels for consumers will change starting June 30, 2021. These changes include updated rebate levels to incentivize EVs with longer all-electric ranges and EVs with a base Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price of less than $42,000.  There are an increasing number and variety of EV models available, with more than 50 models currently available in New York, and of those models, 15 have a range of more than 200 miles and are eligible for the rebate.

Eligible vehicles under the Drive Clean Rebate include all-electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric cars, and fuel cell electric cars.

New rebate levels as of June 30, 2021 will be:

 
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said,  “The successful Drive Clean Rebate program has made driving an EV even more affordable and supports the market’s growing demand for clean transportation options. Expanding this program will ensure more New Yorkers have the ability to choose to drive clean while helping to lower their carbon footprint in support of Governor Cuomo’s climate and clean energy goals.”

Drive Clean Rebates have been approved in all of the state’s 62 counties with approximately 32 percent of the approved rebates issued to customers on Long Island, followed by drivers in the Mid-Hudson Valley and New York City. Since 2010, more than 81,000 electric vehicles have been sold in New York State.

Rebate applications by region through April 1, 2021:

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said,  “Transitioning New York’s transportation sector away from fossil fuels—currently the state’s largest source of climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions—to cleaner and greener electric vehicles represents an enormous opportunity to help meet New York’s ambitious climate goals. The Drive Clean Rebate program will help accelerate New York’s transition to a clean transportation future by making EVs more affordable and providing consumers with incentives to make the switch.”
 
NYPA President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones said,  “NYPA is pleased to be part of New York State’s multi-pronged electric vehicle team. NYPA’s EVolve NY fast chargers are the perfect complement to the new 200+ mile EVs that will be incentivized by the new Drive Clean rebates. Between the two, you can go virtually anywhere in New York State with an electric vehicle. The enhanced Drive Clean program will enable even more New Yorkers to find an EV that matches their needs. Through these efforts, the entire state will benefit from cleaner air and reduced emissions along our roadways.”

New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said , “Any plan to address climate change must include transportation – the #1 source of emissions in the state and nationwide.  While President Biden’s American Jobs Plan proposes investments in vehicle electrification, New York is also working to remove barriers to drivers looking to buy EVs. The expanded Drive Clean Rebate program, which we are highlighting in our public awareness campaign to get New Yorkers to go electric, Plug It In, NY, is a perfect example. It will encourage the growth of the EV market, lower costs for families, decrease air pollution, and help our state reach its nation-leading climate goals. We thank Governor Cuomo and NYSERDA President Doreen Harris for their leadership.”

Assembly Member Michael Cusick, Chair, Assembly Energy Committee, said,  “With emissions from the transportation sector accounting for nearly a third of our state-wide emissions, it is crucial that we prioritize the electrification of the transportation sector. Additional funding for the Drive Clean Rebate program, will enable more New Yorkers to lease or purchase electric vehicles, significantly reducing vehicle emissions across our state.”

Senator Kevin Parker, Chair, Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, said , “In efforts to reach our clean energy goals we need to create policies and initiatives that will allow consumers to do their part and lower their carbon footprint. The Drive Clean Rebate Program incentive is a great program. I applaud NYSERDA and Governor Cuomo for working to ensure drivers are able to do their part and protect the environment”

New York State is also aggressively investing in the rapid build-out of its charging infrastructure with more than 7,000 charging stations currently installed statewide. The Charge Ready NY  program provides $4,000 per charging port with an additional $500 per port for stations installed in disadvantaged communities  and can be combined with New York State’s 50 percent tax credit for charging station installation to boost savings.

The additional Drive Clean Rebate funding comes from revenue generated through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Information about the Drive Clean Rebate, including a list of eligible vehicles and participating car dealers, can be found at  https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Drive-Clean-Rebate.

New York State’s $1 billion investment in electrifying New York’s transportation sector is growing access and availability to electric vehicles and clean transit while scaling the necessary infrastructure benefits to all New Yorkers, including those in low-income or disadvantaged areas, by reducing carbon emissions to create cleaner air and healthier communities. Under a range of initiatives, including EV Make Ready, EVolve NY, and Charge NY, the State is rapidly multiplying the number of charging stations to have at least 10,000 chargers available across New York by the end of 2021.

New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieving its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York’s unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy including over $4 billion invested in 91 large-scale renewable projects across the state, supporting more than 150,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2019, a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities and advancing progress towards the state’s 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings