New Incentive Programs For EV Buyers, But Connecticut’s Goal Still A Long Way Off

When Barry Kresch bought his new Chevy Volt in 2015, he got a little help from the state: a $3,000 rebate, which he said was like “cash on the hood.”

“If you buy an electric vehicle from a dealer,” Kresch said, “you can get the rebate.”

That rebate comes from a program called CHEAPR, which has a simple goal: getting more electric vehicles (EVs) on the road to cut pollution, boost public health and fight climate change.

But EV adoption in Connecticut has a long way to go if the state wants to hit an ambitious target of getting more than 125,000 electric vehicles on the state’s roadways by 2025. And while this year has seen a spike in EV sales, overall registrations are still far off the goal.

Data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles show about 17,000 electric vehicles registered in Connecticut. In addition to cars bought at dealerships, certain Tesla models are also eligible for the rebate.

Click here for the full story from Connecticut Public Radio.