More Mass. EV rebates now available, including for used cars

If you’ve been waiting for the full suite of Massachusetts electric vehicle incentives to kick in before buying a new (or used) car, the wait is over. As of Aug. 8, residents are eligible for all of the new and enhanced rebates laid out in the 2022 climate law.

Some notable changes include a new rebate program for used EVs, extra incentives for lower-income residents, and, for the first time, point-of-sale rebates to lower the sticker price of buying a car. Those who qualify for all of the incentives could save $5,000 on the purchase.

But as with the federal EV incentive program, there are a lot of details and nuances. Here’s what you need to know:

The state’s MOR-EV website has more details about how to apply.

To be eligible to get the rebate, you must either participate in an approved state or federal program like MassHealth or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or have an income below the following thresholds:

In the past, residents had to apply for a rebate after buying an EV. Those rebates should be available and applied at the point-of-sale for new and used vehicles by Sept. 1.

If for some reason you are unable to get a point-of-sale rebate, you must apply online at the MOR-EV website within 90 days of receiving your vehicle.

The state is no longer offering rebates for plug-in hybrid vehicles. However, if you purchased a hybrid before July 1, 2023, you may still qualify for a $1,500 rebate.

To receive the rebate, the car must cost $50,000 or less and have an all-electric range of at least 25 miles.

Applications for this rebate will only be accepted until September 28, 2023.

Yes. However, you must register the car in Massachusetts and apply for the rebate within 90 days to quality.

If you bought a qualifying used EV between Nov. 10, 2022 and Aug. 8, 2023, you can still apply for the $3,500 rebate. But you must do so by Nov. 6, 2023.

The $3,500 rebate for new EVs has been available since late last year. You have 90 days after the purchase to apply for the rebate.

Yes. Residents can get an extra $1,000 if they turn in a gas-powered vehicle after they buy an EV.

Anyone who traded in a qualifying car on or after Aug. 8 is eligible to receive the rebate. Applicants are required to submit their documents after up to 90 days of trading-in, but people who traded-in a vehicle between Aug. 8 and Dec. 6, 2023, have until March 5, 2024 to do it.

State officials also caution that there are limited funds for this rebate — about $300,000 for fiscal year 2024 — and money will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

The application is available online.

To qualify, the old car must:

Yes! Getting a federal tax credit for buying an EV does not preclude you from getting the state rebate, and vice versa. However, be aware that the federal government has set strict rules about vehicle eligibility, so some EVs that qualify for state rebates may not qualify for federal tax credits.

For more on the federal incentives, read our explainer.

Great question. The MOR-EV website has a list of participating dealerships to help you narrow your search.

The state is also launching a new outreach effort to help lower-income residents and people who don’t speak English fluently learn about the new incentives and how they can apply.

"This year, drivers in Massachusetts have been really excited about EVs, and that’s great for our climate,” said Elizabeth Mahony, commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources, which runs the MOR-EV program. “But we want to make sure that everyone is excited for EVs and thinks that they have the opportunity to purchase them.”

One last tip: If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the MOR-EV website and click "language," you can translate all of the information on the website into Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese and Chinese.