As the federal tax credit for electric vehicles is set to expire at the end of September, Washington state is seeing a surge in electric vehicle sales. Buyers are making quick decisions to take advantage of the expiring incentive.
Washington had a record year for electric vehicle sales in 2023, with registrations increasing by 43%. Nearly 224,000 electric vehicles are now on the state’s roads.
Steven Hershkowitz from the Washington Department of Commerce noted Washington’s leadership in electric vehicle sales.
“Nationally, we haven’t seen a huge spike in sales, a little bit of an increase, and we expect that increase to go up quite a bit in September before the tax credit expires,” he said.
Incentives have played a significant role in driving this growth. Last year, a state rebate program offered up to $9,000, but demand was so high that it sold out in just three months.
“Commerce ran a program called the EV Instant Rebate Program. It offered up to nine thousand dollars for new leases as compared to the seventy-five hundred that are offered at the federal level under the tax credits. It ended in 82 days. Last year, it was so popular that we ran through the more than six thousand rebates in less than three months,” Hershkowitz stated.
For climate officials, electric vehicle sales are not just about incentives. They emphasize the importance of adoption as Washington faces the challenges of a changing climate. Jennifer Hennessey from the Washington Department of Ecology highlighted the current impacts.
“In Washington, climate change impacts are already here. We’re seeing wildfires around the state and smoke that comes with it, heat waves. This is our third year in a row declaring drought, and all of these impacts are putting lives and livelihoods here in Washington at risk,” Hennessey said.
With the federal tax credit expiring soon, officials are urging buyers ready to switch to electric vehicles not to delay.
“This is definitely going to be a good moment to go out and get an EV,” Hennessey advised.
Even after the credit expires, Washingtonians are expected to continue embracing electric vehicles at a record pace.
