The Golden State has added income-based caps to its rebates for electric cars and plug-in hybrids. As of July 1, the subsidies buyers receive are being determined by income, says auto research and sales source Cars Direct.com. Previously under the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, buyers received incentives of $1,500 for plug-in hybrids and $2,500 for electric cars across the board. Now, lower-income buyers will get more when they buy certain EV models: as much as $3,000 for a plug-in hybrid, $4,000 for an electric car and $6,500 for a hydrogen fuel-cell car. Perhaps it sounded ludacris that someone who bought an $840,000 Porsche hybrid would get a subsidy of any kind at all.
Does it make sense that the “green” subsidy for someone who can afford a Porsche 918 (at more than $800,000) should be the same as for someone who can afford a Prius? California is changing the incentive to be based on income. The more you make, the less you get.
