Several US American states have launched initiatives to support the electrification of their traffic. Massachusetts and Delaware extended their subsidy programmes, while Ohio is angling to introduce one. California extended traffic benefits to include those driving used EVs.

Massachusetts will be extending its subsidy program until the end of 2021, with BEVs receiving a grant of $2,500 and PHEVs with at least 25 electric range receiving $1,500. This will be funded from a pot worth at least $27 million per year. Thus far, the state paid more than $31 million since the funding became available in 2014. The prerequisite in each case, however, is a list price of a maximum of $50,000 and an electric range more than 25 miles. Furthermore, electric motorcycles will no longer be subsidized.

Delaware is extending its subsidy program by one year until the end of 2020. $2,500 for BEVs, $1,000 for PHEVs – each up to a list price of $60,000. Charging stations are also going to be subsidized “between 75 to 90 per cent of the cost of a Level 2 charging station”. The subsidies will be available to businesses, workplaces, and publicly-accessible charging locations and multi-family residences, while the programme will no longer be available for single-family home charging stations.

In Ohio, a bill supported by both parties to subsidise electric cars and charging infrastructure was introduced in the Senate. If it becomes law, private electric cars would be subsidised with $500, commercial electric cars with $1,000 and charging stations with $1,500. The authoring Senators O’Brien and Rulli state their aim to “make Ohio the leader in the electric vehicle industry.”

In California, lower-income (earning less than $65,777) owners of used electric cars have also been given access to the carpool lanes since January 1. This is the latest move by the state to make driving an electric car more attractive for lower-income citizens and encourage growth in used EV commerce. Previously, California had added a cap for electric car subsidies at $60,000 so that the funds could be reserved for those with less than luxurious means.

mor-ev.org, washingtontimes.com (Massachusetts), delawarepublic.org, delaware.gov (Delaware), nrdc.org (Ohio), electrek.co (California)