An electric vehicle rebate for drivers in Connecticut has doubled in an effort to help protect air quality in the state.
According to WTNH News 8, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection started offering a $1,000 rebate for EV purchases in October. The program is called the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Vehicle Purchase Rebate program, or CHEAPR.
For budget reasons, the CHEAPR rebate was reduced to $500 for a few months while federal incentives were still available. However, per WTNH News 8, Connecticut's rebate is now twice as much after the federal EV tax credit expired at the end of September.
"As a state that suffers from some of the worst air quality in the eastern United States, CHEAPR remains an important tool to give Connecticut consumers the option to purchase a vehicle that will have a more positive impact on our air quality and can also be more affordable to maintain over time," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said.
Upgrading to an EV can save drivers hundreds of dollars a year on gas and maintenance. Despite using electricity for charging, the planet-friendly vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, which helps reduce pollution, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Air pollution can affect nearly every organ in the body, according to the World Health Organization. Stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer are a few diseases strongly linked to air pollution exposure.
Vehicles were responsible for nearly a quarter of emissions in the United States in 2021, per Yale Climate Connections. However, upgrading to an EV could have a major impact. Yale researchers found that driving an EV in Connecticut reduces carbon dioxide pollution by 73% compared to gas cars.
CHEAPR has seemingly enticed drivers to go electric. The number of EVs registered in Connecticut spiked by a whopping 293% since the state began offering rebates back in 2021, per WTNH News 8. There are additional incentives available for low-income and moderate-income families as well.
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