Amped 2021: How State Government is Supporting More Electric Vehicle Use in Pennsylvania

​Yes, electric vehicle prices continue to drop, largely due to improvements in battery technology. Light-duty electric vehicles are expected to reach cost-parity with gasoline vehicles by 2025. Until then, available federal and state incentives help decrease the price gap and make electric vehicles affordable.

• Federal incentives (available for anyone, including individuals, businesses, government, etc.):
  • Electric vehicles purchases are eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 (excluding GM and Tesla vehicles). Please find a list of eligible rebate amounts here. For the tax form, please follow this link. 
  • Electric vehicle charging equipment is eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $1,000 or 30% of project costs, whichever is less, for individuals, and up to $30,000 or 30% of project costs, whichever is less, for organizations. Please visit this webpage for the tax form. 
• Pennsylvania incentive for individuals:
  • Pennsylvania offers rebates for electric vehicle purchases. New electric vehicles are eligible for $750 rebates. Used electric vehicles and new/used plug-in hybrids are eligible for $500 rebates. Please see this webpage for more information. 
• Pennsylvania incentives for organizations:
  • Driving PA Forward offers a range of incentive programs including rebates for level 2 electric vehicle charging equipment, funding to replace older diesel vehicles, and competitive grant programs for publicly available DC fast charging stations. Please visit Driving PA Forward for more information. 
  • The Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant (AFIG) program can fund the incremental cost of alternative fuel fleet vehicle purchases and/or their associated re-fueling equipment. For more information please visit the AFIG webpage. 
• Local incentives:
  • Check with your local electric utility for possible other incentives. 

​Using average gasoline and electricity prices in Pennsylvania, as of October 2020, gasoline costs a typical gasoline vehicle owner about 9 cents per mile while electricity costs a typical electric vehicle owner about 3 cents per mile. Put another way, a gasoline vehicle owner spends about $1,080 per year to fuel their car, while an electric vehicle owner spends about $360 per year to charge their car, assuming they drive 12,000 miles per year.

​Some level 2 electric vehicle charging stations are free to use, making them even cheaper than charging at home. However, most public charging stations charge a fee that is higher than what you would pay for electricity at home. A typical level 2 charging station will charge 15-20 cents per kWh and a typical DC fast charging station will charge about 40 cents per kWh. Charging at home costs an average of 11 cents per kWh. Most charging occurs at home, or other locations where a vehicle owner parks for long periods of time, so the higher cost of DC fast charging has little impact on the average cost of charging.

​No! Electric vehicles and charging equipment have numerous sensors and safety measures. There is no risk of harm to the individual or vehicle by charging during rain, freezing rain, snow, high winds, etc. When purchasing charging equipment for outdoor use, please ensure that it has a NEMA rating of “3” or “4”. NEMA ratings of “1” and “2” indicate the equipment is designed for indoor use only. 

​The lifespan of an electric vehicle batteries depends on many factors, but the two biggest are the technology used to make the battery and its exposure to high temperatures while charging or driving. Early electric vehicle batteries driven in high temperatures, such as desert locations, had relatively fast battery degradation, and required battery replacements after 75,000 to 150,000 miles. Newer batteries, especially those equipped with active cooling systems, lose battery capacity much slower, and may last 500,000 miles or more. Many new batteries are designed for a second life as battery storage for the electric grid, as they are expected to outlast the body of the vehicle.