How Dealerships Can Communicate the Washington EV Rebate Program to Customers

This summer Washington state is making EVs more affordable for thousands of low-income residents. Affordability (total cost of ownership) is the #2 reason people are hesitant to purchase a new EV, and programs at the federal and state level make a major difference in pushing EV adoption.

Nissan EV charging at EVgo DC fast charger

With this new program in place, Washington state is the most EV-friendly location in the United States. Washington also benefits from the nation’s most dramatic difference in electricity prices versus gas prices, offering EV drivers even more savings. Extremely low electricity prices come from the state’s hydroelectric power sources.

The Washington state program has $50 million allocated to these rebates, and it will run until June 2025 or until funds run out.

What makes this program interesting is that it is geared towards both lower-income residents and “superusers” of gas vehicles. According to Coltura, 7% of Washington drivers account for 1/4 of the state’s gas consumption, with each driving more than double the average annual number of miles.

Dealership communication of the Washington state EV rebate

Dealerships are accustomed to OEM level incentives, but the new world of federal and state incentives means a new playbook is being written to drive electric vehicle adoption and sales. Different dealerships will still compete to win the business of customers eligible for this program, and education + communication of the program in a transparent way is a great place to start!

Adding the EV savings information with proper disclaimers and eligibility requirements on your VDPs and outreach communication is an easy place to start. Check out this example of how some dealerships use Lectrium’s EV Savings Badge to accomplish this:

Example of Lectrium's EV Savings Badge for a Volkswagen ID.4 model — *Note: Only the federal credit and fuel savings are applicable until the state program goes live.*

Dealership eligibility

Either sell only EVs OR
Have two or more locations in the state

Dealerships who are eligible should chat with Lectrium about proactively checking with customers to see their eligibility.

Washington state electric vehicle rebate program details

The program will offer eligible residents the below rebates up to the following amounts:

Purchased from a dealer:

$5,000 off a new EV
$2,500 off a used EV

Leased from a dealer:

$9,000 off a new EV lease
$2,500 off a used EV lease

Eligible vehicles must be full BEVs and have a MSRP of below $90,000. Eligible residents are those earning 300% or below the federal poverty level.

Eligible residents:

Single person: Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) under $45,180
Family of four: Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) under $93,600

Can a consumer use both state and federal EV credits?

Yes, the Washington state program can be layered with the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.

If you’re a dealership looking to boost your EV sales and prepare for this program before it goes live, chat with Lectrium. Take advantage of communicating this information to your shoppers in a transparent way as soon as it goes live.