Massachusetts pulls the plug on EV subsidies
Beyond September this year, the state government of Massachusetts will not be continuing subsidies on the purchase of electric cars and motorbikes. As electric vehicles get more popular and funds low, state lawmakers have decided to discontinue the program.
Over the last five years, the ‘MOR-EV’ program has awarded over $30 million USD to more than 14,000 people purchasing electric vehicles. Rebates of up to $1,500 have been awarded for the purchase or lease of battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles and up to $450 for zero-emission motorcycles. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources had proposed two amendments to extend the program, but these amendments were not adopted by the legislature.
Amy Laura Cahn from the state’s Zero Emission Vehicle Commission that oversees the program explained that “2018 really saw a boom in Massachusetts of folks using the program to adopt a zero-emission vehicle, and the demand outpaced the resources” She elaborated that “…part of that has to do with the fact that there hasn’t been a dedicated funding source to rely on.” Until now, funds have been directed to the MOR-EV program from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, that is ostensibly a carbon cap-and-trade program for power plants.
This week, the Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle Commission voted to support the MOR-EV program and is now calling on Gov. Charlie Baker and the legislature to find a way to continue funding the rebates.
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