Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer and Southern Californians are eager to get out and explore. More than 2.8 million of us are expected to hit the road over the long holiday weekend, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. That’s up 64% from last year and that trend is expected to continue throughout the summer. And for many, travel plans include local beaches, mountains and lakes as well as other iconic California destinations.
For Southern California Edison customers who might be considering making the switch to an electric vehicle before they head out to explore this summer, there are programs that can help save them money.
The statewide California Clean Fuel Reward program gives drivers across California up to $1,500 off a new EV. The point-of-purchase price reduction applies to new cars purchased or leased at participating car dealerships and retailers across California. The reward is applied at the time of purchase or lease. It is in addition to the federal EV tax credit and any applicable California clean vehicle rebates.
SCE’s Pre-Owned EV Rebate program offers residential customers who purchase or lease a pre-owned EV a $1,000 rebate. The rebate is good on vehicles purchased or leased on or after Jan. 1, 2021. Applying online is easy and should be done within 180 days of purchasing or leasing an EV.
Nissan is also offering SCE customers up to $8,500 cash back on a 2020 LEAF or LEAF Plus and up to $7,500 on 2021 models. The offer is available for 2020 and 2021 LEAFs purchased from new dealer stock. Customers have until July 6, 2021, or while vehicle supplies last, whichever comes first, to take advantage of the offer at participating Nissan dealerships. You can find a dealership near you using Nissan’s dealer locator. More details on the offer can be found here.
EV drivers also save on maintenance and lower fuel costs. Charging an electric car at home is equal to paying less than $2 per gallon of gasoline. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $4.15.
Additionally, most EVs come with a Level 1 charger that can plug into a standard 120-volt residential outlet. By taking advantage of SCE’s TOU-D-Prime rate and charging their EV after 9 p.m., customers can further control their fueling costs.
Drivers can see where public chargers are located on SCE Cars, an online comparison tool that also has an interactive charging station map.
