DRIVE EV

Funded and administered by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER), DRIVEEV provides rebates of up to $1,500.00 for the purchase or lease of new battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles and up to $1,000.00 for new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The program also offers rebates of up to $1,000.00 for the purchase or lease of used battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicle and up to $750.00 for used plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

DRIVEEV rebates are reserved and/or awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.[1]

This program is available to Rhode Island residents who purchase or lease a qualifying vehicle from a licensed Rhode Island automobile dealership or from a qualified Out-Of-State (OOS) dealership.

From the date of purchase/lease, applicants will have one hundred and twenty (120) days to provide OER with all required supporting documentation, including copies of:

  • A valid Rhode Island registration certificate for the electric vehicle;
  • The final sales or lease agreement, including an itemization of credits, discounts, and incentives received (where applicable);
  • A Rhode Island driver’s license; and
  • A signed W-9 form.
     

Importantly, if a qualified applicant does not submit all required supporting documentation within one hundred and twenty (120) days, as indicated above, OER will release the “reserved” funds back to the DRIVEEV program and a new application will need to be submitted.

The DRIVEEV Program Administrator will communicate with the applicant regarding their application via email. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check all DRIVEEV related emails for status updates and requests for additional information or documents required to complete the application.

OER will review all submitted materials for completeness and to ensure the applicant meets all eligibility requirements.  

If approved, OER will award the appropriate rebate amount directly to the applicant in a single payment, by check, within four to six (4-6) weeks from the date of final approval.[2]

OER reserves the right to modify the DRIVEEV program and its terms and conditions and/or terminate the program at its sole discretion. The submittal of an application form does not guarantee an award.

 

DRIVEEV Program Requirements and Rebate Amounts
 

NEW Electric Vehicle

USED Electric Vehicle

$1,500.00 rebate for new Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) or new Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)

OR

$1,000.00 rebate for new Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)

$1,000.00 for used Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) or used Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)

OR

$750.00 for used Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).

Purchase or lease a new eligible EV with an agreed upon value of the vehicle at or below $60,000.00*

* $60,000.00 price cap does not include taxes, registration fees, delivery fees, and any capitalized cost reductions including incentives, rebates, negotiations, trade-in allowance, cash deposits, and any other similar reductions that could be considered a capitalized cost reduction.

Purchase or lease a new eligible EV with an agreed upon value of the vehicle at or below $40,000.00*

* $40,000.00 price cap does not include taxes, registration fees, delivery fees, and any capitalized cost reductions including incentives, rebates, negotiations, trade-in allowance, cash deposits, and any other similar reductions that could be considered a capitalized cost reduction.

Leased vehicles (used) are required to have a lease term of at least twenty-four (24) months to qualify for the program.

Leased vehicles (used) are required to have a lease term of at least twenty-four (24) months to qualify for the program.

Purchase or lease date must be on or after 07/07/2022

Purchase or lease date must be on or after 07/07/2022

Eligible vehicles must be purchased or leased by a Rhode Island resident at a licensed Rhode Island automotive dealership or at a qualified Out-of-State  dealership and registered in Rhode Island.

Eligible vehicles must be purchased or leased by a Rhode Island resident at a licensed Rhode Island automotive dealership or at a qualified Out-of- State  dealership and registered in Rhode Island.

From the date of purchase/lease:
Applicants will have one hundred and twenty (120) days to provide OER with all required supporting documentation

From the date of purchase/lease:
Applicants will have one hundred and twenty (120) days to provide OER with all required supporting documentation

List of Qualifying Out-Of-State dealerships*:

  • Volkswagen of North Attleboro - 563 Kelley Blvd #152, North Attleborough, MA 02760
  • Boch Nissan South - 685 S Washington St, North Attleborough, MA 02760
  • Boch Toyota South - 620 S Washington St, North Attleborough, MA 02760
  • Patriot Subaru of North Attleboro - 551 S Washington St, North Attleborough, MA 02760
  • Kia of Attleboro - 795 Newport Ave South Attleboro, MA 02703
  • Stateline Subaru - 1451 Brayton Point Rd, Somerset, MA 02725
  • Courtesy Mitsubishi - 11 Scott St, Attleboro, MA 02703
  • Milford Nissan – 320 East Main St, Milford MA 01757
  • Bob Valenti Chevrolet - 72 Jerry Browne Rd, Mystic, CT 06355
  • Copeland Chevrolet - 955 Pearl St, Brockton, MA 02301

* If the dealership is not listed here, please make sure to contact us directly. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. OER cannot guarantee rebates will be approved from dealerships not on this list.


For additional information, click here for the DRIVE EV Guidance Document.

 

APPLY HERE!

[1] Rebates will be made on a first-come, first-served basis based upon adherence to application requirements and contingent on funding availability. OER reserves the right to extend, modify, or terminate this program based on funding availability and/or other factors.

[2] Processing times may vary.