Last month, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee announced a $50 million electric vehicle rebate program through the state Department of Commerce to be implemented later this year and early next year allowing qualifying residents to get subsidies for leasing or purchasing an EV.

The EV rebate program is part of a larger effort to electrify the transportation sector in the state in preparation for a 2030 gasoline vehicle sale and registration ban, all of which is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The $50 million program is expected to subsidize the lease of 1,750 to 3,500 EVs and the sale of 3,400 to 7,000. The program would have the buyer immediately receive a discount upon purchase, while the EV dealer would be reimbursed by a contractor, who would then be reimbursed by the Department of Commerce.

At a Thursday meeting of the Washington State Transportation Commission, Transportation Electrification Policy Lead Steven Hershkowitz told the commission “this program in and of itself is not going to move the needle significantly on climate emissions. But, this is the way for the state to push forward in accessibility and access to the program while still reducing emissions to some extent.”