National Drive Electric Month: Making Clean Transportation More Available for EVeryone

PG&E is highlighting incentives and resources customers can tap into to make electric vehicle (EV) ownership more affordable during National Drive Electric Month. 

Time is running out to claim federal tax incentives for new and used clean vehicles. Up until Sept. 30, customers can secure up to $7,500 through the federal Clean Vehicle Credit when purchasing or leasing a qualified new EV or up to $4,000 for a used EV. There also are incentives for plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. For more information on terms and conditions, customers are encouraged to visit the Internal Revenue Service’s Clean Vehicle Credit webpage.    

Customers may also be eligible to receive up to a $4,000 rebate when buying or leasing a used EV through PG&E’s Pre-Owned EV Rebate Program. The program will remain open through December 2026 or until funding is exhausted. About $38 million in funding is currently available to help customers transition to an EV. Since launching in February 2023, the program has issued more than 17,000 rebate payments and provided over $40 million in benefits.  

Powering the EV Transition

PG&E has empowered the charge to EVs for tens of thousands of customers over the last decade. There are more than 775,000 EVs in PG&E’s service area, representing one in eight EVs in the country. 

PG&E has several options to help offset the upfront costs of installing an at-home EV charger. 

The Residential Charging Solutions pilot provides customers with a post-purchase rebate of 50% or 100% (depending on eligibility) of the cost of approved Level 2 residential charging equipment that can utilize existing 240-volt outlets which eliminates the need for costly electrical upgrades.  

In the coming months, PG&E plans to announce two additional programs: 

• The Affordable Public Charging program offers a charging credit, via a prepaid debit card, to help income-qualified customers cover some of the costs to charge their EVs at public charging stations. 

• The Panel and Flexible Electrification Support program offers incentives for electrical panel upgrades and other qualifying auxiliary equipment needed for low-income customers to install an EV charger at their home. 

EV rates and additional resources 

PG&E has three rates that may help EV drivers lower their electric costs. With these Time-of-Use rate plans, customers who charge their EVs during off-peak hours can reduce their overall energy costs. 

On PG&E’s EV2-A rate, customers who qualify for the CARE and FERA monthly electric bill discounts can charge their EVs for the equivalent of $1.88 per gallon at the pump when they charge between midnight and 3 p.m. The EV rate plans page can help customers find the best rate plan that works for them.

Customers who want to explore EV ownership are encouraged to check out PG&E’s EV Savings Calculator to browse vehicles, discover incentives and locate charging stations.