Victoria HarkerSalt River Project (SRP) is offering several rebates and incentives to homebuilders, businesses and residents in the Phoenix region to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles and charging technology.
It’s part of the utility’s goal to enable 500,000 electric vehicles in its service area by 2035, said Terry Rother, senior program manager for SRP’s Product Development Group.
In addition, SRP is working with partners to increase the number of charging stations Valleywide to reduce “range anxiety” for EV drivers.
“All these programs combined are trying to reassure EV customers that by purchasing an EV you’re not going to be stranded without an ability to charge,” he said. “Range anxiety is one of the biggest fears for EV drivers and having the ability to charge at your workplace, at your home, at a shopping center, reduces that barrier.”
Here’s a looks a rundown of rebates and incentives now available:
For businesses and housing builders
Incentives for builders to prewire homes for EV charging As part of SRP’s ENERGY STAR Homes program, SRP announced this month that builders can receive a $300 incentive for each home wired for electric vehicle charging. They also can receive marketing support to advertise these communities to potential buyers. This incentive cuts the cost roughly in half for homebuilders’ EV wiring installation.
Homes pre-wired for EVs will be able to accommodate Level 2 EV charging which can recharge electric vehicles twice as fast as Level 1 charging. Level 2 charging also supports the most advanced charging technology available, including smart chargers and Amazon Alexa-enabled charging.
Homebuilders interested in learning more about this program may visit: SaveWithSRPBiz.com.
Business EV charger rebate: SRP also is continuing to offer $1,500 rebates for each networked EV charging port that SRP commercial customers install at their businesses as long as charger ports meet all program requirements. Business customers can take advantage of this rebate on each qualifying port they install, and this includes apartment complexes, retail complexes, educational facilities, casinos, hotels and motels, workplaces and other SRP business customers.
To receive the rebate, the equipment must be installed before April 30, 2021 and customers must apply for the rebate before July 31. For more information, visit: Business EV Charger Rebate website
For residential customers
For residential customers thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle, now is the time to do it, said Catherine O’Brien, SRP’s electric vehicle lead.
Not only is SRP offering rebates on the purchase of EV vehicles and chargers, the federal government is continuing to offer a tax credit of up to $7,500 for many plug-in cars, she said.
Here are rebates and incentives SRP is offering residential customers:
$1,000 rebate for Valley drivers SRP has a pilot program that is offering a $1,000 rebate to residential customers who lease or purchase any new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from Valley-based car dealerships until the end of the year or until funds are depleted.
$250 smart charger rebate Residential customers can receive $250 rebate for purchasing a residential Level 2 smart charger from SRP’s Marketplace, a discount of more than 30 percent.
Price saving plan for EV owners EV Price Plan is available to EV owners to lower their home energy costs by charging their vehicle during “super” off-peak hours, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Price saving plan for rooftop solar customers For rooftop solar customers with EV vehicles, SRP offers an EV Export Price Plan to reap more energy cost savings when charging EVs and using energy from the grid during lower-priced, off-peak hours.
Gift card for customers who sign up EV drivers who are SRP customers are also invited to join the SRP EV Community to help SRP improve its EV charging price plans and other EV programs. Customers who participate get special offers and a $50 Amazon gift card just for signing up at:
Three builders creating EV communities
Starting as early as 2023, several cities across the Valley will begin requiring new homes to be built with EV wiring installed.
Some homebuilders have already started prewiring homes in partnership with SRP and the city of Glendale including Lennar, Pulte and Taylor Morrison.
SRP is role model for EV in workplace
In addition to promoting EVs to customers, SRP also has been installing EV chargers at its work sites. Currently, it is the state’s largest workplace charging program in the state, earning a spot on the list of the “Top 25 Sustainable Fleet” by GreenBiz, O’Brien said.
Close to 200 employees drive plug-in vehicles and SRP’s goal is to increase that to 450, or about 7 percent of its workforce, over the next five years, she said.
“By supporting these types of rebates and incentives and furthering the adoption of these programs, we know the benefits will be to improve air quality by reducing greenhouse emissions and save customers money on vehicle maintenance costs by switching from gas powered to electric,” O’Brien said.
Guest Contributor
Joseph Kavetsky
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