San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced a new giving initiative to provide instant rebates to K-12 teachers and first responders (police, fire, Sheriff’s deputies, lifeguards and emergency medical technicians) for the purchase or lease of a new electric vehicle.
Under the Champions for Clean Air: SDG&E EV Rebate Program, those professionals who live and work in communities served by SDG&E in San Diego and southern Orange counties are eligible for $1,000 discounts.
SDG&E plans to invest $500,000 of its own shareholder money—not customer funds—to provide the discounts over three years.
In the first year, 300 of those who live in the SDG&E service territory of San Diego and southern Orange counties will be eligible on a first-come, first-served basis.
These incentives are on top of state and federal incentives, which can total another $10,000. In addition, some automakers—Nissan and BMW—are currently offering $10,000 discounts off their 2017 EV models for a limited time to SDG&E customers, so it is possible for a teacher or first responder to purchase an EV for approximately $9,000–$11,500, depending on the amount in state rebates they are eligible for.
More information is available at sdge.com/evrebate.
Transportation is the single largest source of harmful emissions in the San Diego region, accounting for about half of the regional greenhouse gas emissions. EVs help clean the air by reducing air pollution associated with transportation. Teachers and first responders who switch to driving electric would be joining the ranks of more than 25,000 EV drivers already in the region. They will not just reap environmental savings, they will also reap financial savings, as maintenance and charging costs for EVs are lower than costs associated with operating gasoline vehicles.
