Electric company dangles $4,000 rebate on used EV purchases

Peninsula Clean Energy, San Mateo County’s official electricity provider, announced Tuesday it is expanding its used electric vehicle rebate program.

Eligible county residents could receive up to $4,000 in rebates to purchase a used electric vehicle.

The amount of the rebate depends on a resident’s income level and whether the vehicle is a hybrid or fully electric.

All county residents could receive rebates starting at $700 for a plug-in hybrid and up to $1,000 for a fully electric vehicle.

Income-qualified residents, such as those participating in CalFresh, Clipper START or other assistance programs, can receive rebates of up to $3,700 for plug-in hybrids or $4,000 for fully electric vehicles.

The rebate only applies to used electric vehicles, which must be eight years old or newer and which cost no more than $25,000 before the rebates.

Income-qualified residents in San Mateo County can combine Peninsula Clean Energy rebates with other regional and state programs.

The used electric vehicle rebate program is a partnership with GRID Alternatives Bay Area, a nonprofit that provides clean energy programs.

To be eligible for a rebate, residents must pre-apply online before purchasing a used electric vehicle. The pre-application is available here. 

Once the application is approved, qualifying residents can purchase vehicles at a participating local car dealership. A list of participating dealerships is available online.

Redwood City resident Victor Bianco, who purchased a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2020, recommended the program as he said it was simple to apply to, saves money and is environmentally friendly.

Bianco said in a statement:

“Had it not been for this program, I would have never even considered buying an electric vehicle, due to it being financially out of my reach.” 

More information on the program is available online.