Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story referred to a JEA rebate program that has expired. Other incentives also may have changed or expired since this story's original publication.
As 2019 draws to a close and a number of new electric vehicles are being introduced, would-be plugin motorists might want to double check which incentives are — and aren’t — available in Jacksonville.
At the top of the list is the federal government’s EV tax credit, which can reach $7,500. But there are caveats. The deal breaker for some may be that it’s a tax credit, not a tax rebate, which means it can lower the buyer's overall federal tax bill that will be due months down the road, but it isn't an immediate discount.
The credit also depends on what model you choose. Once an automaker sells 200,000 plugin vehicles, the credit begins to sunset. Telsa and General Motors have surpassed the cap, meaning the amount that can be claimed on their plugin vehicles decreases each quarter.
It also depends on the size of the vehicle's battery. The bigger the battery, the bigger the credit.
This federal website shows the credits currently available for each model.
For example, according to fueleconomy.gov, a $1,875 tax credit will remain available for the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt until March 31, 2020, while a $7,500 tax credit is available indefinitely for a 2020 Porsche Taycan.
And an extra warning for two-wheeler enthusiasts: The federal tax credit only applies to four-wheel passenger vehicles, such as cars and SUVs. It doesn’t not apply to electric motorcycles or scooters.
12/23 Update: Since this story was originally published, Electrek reported that an amendment to a U.S. spending bill was approved on Dec. 17 that would add a federal electric motorcycle tax credit up to $2,500.
Sales of electric vehicles grew 63% between 2017 and 2018, according to IEA, with more than 5 million on the road globally at that time. The U.S. made up 39% of that total.
Harley-Davidson is now delivering its first LiveWires to customers, and Italian EV motorcycle maker Enerigica announced the largest batteries (21.5kw) in the EV motorcycle industry will be coming to market next year. And California-based Zero Motorcycles introduced its new SR/F this year.
On the automotive side, Ford announced in November that the all-electric Mustang Mach E is now available to order, with deliveries starting late next year, while Telsa announced its Cybertruck pickup less than a week later, saying production would begin in late 2021.
Other automakers have also been announcing and rolling out new electrified models.
In the U.S., more than 224,00 EV and plugin hybrid vehicles have been sold in 2019 through November, according to estimates by InsideEVs.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
