Delaware is extending a program designed to encourage drivers in the First State to use electric vehicles.
More Delaware drivers are opting for EVs, thanks in part to a DNREC incentive program. Since 2020, electric vehicle registrations in the state have skyrocketed, from about 2 percent of cars in 2020 to nearly one in eight cars last year.
The EV incentives are being extended for another year, until April 30, 2026. Breanne Preisen with DNREC says Delawareans who buy or lease a new or used EV can get a significant rebate.
“Up to $2,500 for a new battery-electric; it depends on the MSRP," Preisen says. "We can also give the rebate at the point of sale with our Delaware participating dealerships. So it does kind of create that upfront cost. It does take that down a little bit.”
The program also provides funding for business owners and owners of multifamily housing complexes who want to install charging stations.
The incentives are part of a number of factors driving increased EV adoption, including more models making it to market and various federal tax breaks for EV owners.
DNREC data say vehicles are the largest source of emissions in the state, and helping drivers transition to EVs will help the state reach its goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The incentives are funded by Delaware’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. That initiative has been widely discussed in this year’s General Assembly session, with Republican lawmakers introducing a bill to remove Delaware from the program. Another GOP-backed bill to repeal Delaware’s controversial EV sales mandate failed in committee this year.
