READ THIS ENTIRE POST IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET FOR AN EV/PHEV IN TEXAS:
There’s been a lot of griping about Texas adopting a $200 fee, on top of the regular annual vehicle registration fee and a $400 registration fee, at time of new EV purchase/lease. We EV drivers all want to pay our fair share for road maintenance, but a flat fee penalizes those who drive fewer miles, as opposed to the gasoline tax that increases the driver’s cost the more that person drives, because they have to buy more gas and that’s where the taxes come from.
I get that and agree with you completely.
Here’s something to make it sting a little less: The $2,500 Texas EV/PHEV Rebate program Otherwise known as “The Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program“) is coming back!
In the past, when the period for submitting applications started after the beginning of the Texas fiscal year (September 1st), the program had been set up to be retroactive to the previous September 1st. There is no guarantee that it will be retroactive this time around, but I will let you know as soon as I know.
You can check out the program website here.
The list of requirements and eligible vehicles is here. As in years past, the vehicle must be purchased from a franchised dealer in Texas, so Teslas, Rivian’s, etc. are excluded from the program. Read all of the requirements.
There are going to be only 2,000 rebates available, so if you and your vehicle qualify, APPLY FOR THE REBATE AS SOON AS THE PROGRAM STARTS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!!!
You will be competing for these rebates with vehicles powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), or hydrogen fuel cell, SO THE STATE WILL RUN OUT OF REBATES.
If you’ve been in the market for an EV or PHEV, my advice is to wait until a) they announce the program is retroactive to September 1, 2023 or b) purchase after the program’s start date. I heard a rumor that the start date is planned to be October 4th, but have NOT heard if it will be retroactive.
Two final bits of advice:
- Do NOT ask your vehicle salesperson about this program. Most of them haven’t even heard of it.
- Print the forms (available on the program website) and take them with you to the dealership. In previous iterations of this program, the dealer had to sign the form and enter their franchise number. Save yourself an extra trip back to the dealer by being prepared!
