Washington just made it a little easier, and cheaper, to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.

State officials recently launched a new program offering state rebates of up to $9,000 on the cost of leasing or purchasing electric vehicles. 

And, in a consumer-friendly twist, participating dealerships will apply rebates at the point of sale, erasing the need for customers to file for these rebates on their own. 

“We know that the cost of EVs is coming down quite rapidly, but we don’t want to wait,” Gov. Jay Inslee said at an Aug. 1 event to kick off the EV Instant Rebate Program. “We want to get as many Washingtonians as possible, regardless of their economic circumstances, to be able to experience the thrill of having an EV, and have gas prices the way they should be, which is zero because you don’t have to pay any.”

Individuals and households making up to 300% of the federal poverty level are eligible for the rebate program. The driver must be a Washington resident who registers the vehicle for personal use with the Washington State Department of Licensing.

A Washington resident earning up to $45,180 annually, or a family of four with a household income up to $93,600 qualifies for a rebate of up to $9,000 for a new electric vehicle lease of three years or more. 

Or, they can get up to $5,000 for a new EV purchase or two-year lease. Used electric vehicles are eligible for a $2,500 rebate on purchases and leases.

There’s $45 million earmarked for the program, enough for an estimated 7,500 to 9,000 rebates, depending on how many are used for purchase versus lease, and used versus new vehicles. Those dollars come out of the state’s general fund and are not revenue from carbon auctions under the Climate Commitment Act.

To take advantage, one must shop at a participating business. It could be a dealership, a used car lot or a manufacturer that sells directly to buyers like Tesla. More than 200 had enrolled as of Aug. 1. They are listed online. There’s also an online guide of qualifying electric vehicles.

In June, there were about 194,232 electric vehicles registered in Washington, including plug-in hybrids, according to Department of Licensing data. That’s up from around 94,000 in March 2022. Though EVs remain a small share of the roughly 8 million vehicles registered in the state, Inslee said they now account for about one of every five new cars sold in Washington. 

Mike Fong, director of the state Department of Commerce, said these state rebates can be combined with federal and automaker incentives, and could make monthly lease payments on a handful of EV models less than $100 for qualifying consumers.

“This will be a very powerful tool,” he said. The focus on leasing is “one way of leveling the playing field” for those who are unable or don’t want to buy a new vehicle.

Cameron Steinback, climate justice program manager with Front and Centered, said that getting more people to drive electric vehicles will benefit “front line communities who are disproportionately exposed to air pollution from diesel exhaust and oil extraction, which can lead to increased risk of heart disease and lung disease and cancer.”

But, he said electrification “must be part of a wider strategy” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that looks to bolster public transportation services and reduce the number of vehicles on the road as well.

The program is welcome news for those whose livelihood depends on a car.

Kathryn Jensen works with ride-share drivers and said they replace their vehicles more often than typical consumers because of the number of miles they travel.

This program makes EV purchases “more immediately accessible and more overall affordable,” she said. It is an “exciting opportunity for Washington ride-share drivers shopping for their next vehicle.”

How the program could work

The Department of Commerce provided the example below for how the rebate program could play out for someone looking to lease a vehicle.

A dealer is advertising a three-year lease at $259 per month with $2,259 due at signing – for a total lease cost of $11,324.

For a qualifying customer, the $9,000 state EV Instant Rebate brings the lease cost down to $2,324.

The dealer applies a $500 lease fee, $200 documentation fee, and collects state and local transit, title and registration fees of $685, making the final lease total $3,709, or $103 per month over the 36-month agreement.

This story is republished from the Washington State Standard, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet that provides original reporting, analysis and commentary on Washington state government and politics.