Electric vehicle rebate program launches soon in Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee and state officials unveiled a $45 million rebate program on Tuesday to help low-income Washingtonians purchase or lease electric vehicles.
That program is slated to bring financial relief to between 6,500 and 8,000 low-income motorists who buy or lease an EV from August until June 2025, or until state dollars are no longer available to fund the project.
To be eligible, residents must make below 300% of the federal poverty level. That equates to less than $45,180 for a single person, and less than $93,600 for a family of four, according to the State Department of Commerce. The vehicle must also be fully electric and cost less than $90,000.
The rebate program will offer $5,000 to those opting to who purchase or lease for two years a new EV, while those who lease for three or more years will get a $9,000 rebate. For used EVs, purchasers or those leasing will get $2,500 off.
“What we’re trying to do is make these vehicles accessible to as many people as humanly possible,” Inslee said during a news conference in Tukwila.
Mike Fong, Department of Commerce director, reiterated that this is a “first-in-the-nation model.” Lease payments on at least four EV models, including a Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona, could drop to less than $100 a month when combined with federal government and automaker incentives under the new program.
Fong noted that the rebate program does not cover the charging hardware needed for an EV, as the primary focus is on vehicle leases or purchases.
“You know Washingtonians really get it when it comes to electric vehicles,” Inslee said. “They know that they are safe, they are quiet, they’re fun to drive and they’re quicker than heck. And the best part of all, you don’t have to buy a single gallon of gasoline if you don’t want to.”
Funded through the Legislature’s general fund, the program is estimated to cut up to 24,000 metric tons of carbon emissions in Washington’s transportation sector, the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the state Department of Commerce.
According to recent data from the Department of Licensing, Washington has 181,458 registered electric or hybrid vehicles driving on its roads, with Spokane County accounting for 4,671 of those. In 2023, electric and hybrid plug-in cars made up 18.8% of new vehicle sales in the state, a jump up from 13% in 2022.
Inslee is wrapping up his final year in office and working toward his goal to significantly reduce Washington’s carbon emissions through the Climate Commitment Act. This year alone, state funds have been allocated for the transition to zero-emission school buses, more electric heat pumps and nearly 5,000 EV chargers statewide.
“The rule is in the state of Washington, when you go electric, you go clean and go reasonably priced power,” Inslee said.
The Climate Commitment Act, however, could be in jeopardy if voters approve initiative 2117 in November, repealing the state’s cap-and-invest program that requires businesses to cut emissions or buy allowances to offset them.