Important Notice: Erika Niedowski Memorial Electric Bike Rebate Program has reopened and is now accepting new applications. The Office of Energy Resources reopened the Erika Niedowski Memorial Electric Bike Rebate Program for applications on July 8th, 2024. E-bike purchases made prior to July 8th, 2024, will be eligible for retroactive rebates, provided they meet all existing program requirements.Additionally, OER has modified the requirements for the Erika Niedowski Memorial Electric Bike Rebate Program. These modifications took effect on July 8th, 2024. E-bike purchases made on or after this date must comply with all new and existing requirements to be eligible for the rebate program. Click here to view program modifications.Click here to apply to the Erika Niedowski Memorial Electric Bike Rebate Program.
FAQ General Questions How much funding will be available? Who is eligible to apply for the PowerUpRI rebate program? Can renters apply for the rebate, or is it only available to homeowners? Is the rebate available to businesses or just individuals? How do residents qualify for the additional Income-Qualified rebate? What chargers are eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program? What chargers are not eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program? Who can install the residential EV charging stations? Is there a limit to how many rebates one household can receive? How many household installations will this rebate program be able to cover? What if an applicant purchased a charger prior to the PowerUpRI start date? Where can I find safety information related to at-home EV Chargers? Application Questions How do residents apply for the rebate? How does the PowerUpRI application process work? How long does it take to process the application? Is there a deadline to apply for the rebate? Can residents apply for the rebate before purchasing an EV charger? How will residents receive the rebate (e.g., check, direct deposit)? General Information How long does it take to charge an EV using a Level 2 at-home charger? When is the best time to charge my electric vehicle? Are there any state incentives for Rhode Islanders to purchase or lease EVs? Does my utility, Rhode Island Energy, offer any electric vehicle incentives? How many public EV charging stations are in RI? How many EVs are registered in RI? General Questions 1. How much funding will be available? The PowerUpRI rebate program will launch with an initial $750,000 of funding. This funding will be split into standard and Income-qualified funding reserves, with 40% of funding going towards income-qualified applications. This breakdown of funding aligns with the Justice40 initiative (https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/). 2. Who is eligible to apply for the PowerUpRI rebate program? Rhode Island residents who own or rent a single-family or multifamily dwelling* are eligible to apply for the rebate program. Renters must provide a signed letter of approval from the landlord permitting the installation of the EV charger. Rhode Island landlords are also eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program for eligible EV chargers installed on single or multifamily dwelling* rental properties. *“Dwelling” means a residential structure or mobile home that contains one to four (4) family housing units, or individual units of condominiums or cooperatives. Properties that contain more than four (4) family housing units, or individual units of condominiums or cooperatives will be considered commercial scale properties and will not be eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program. 3. Can renters apply for the rebate, or is it only available to homeowners? Renters are allowed to apply for the PowerUpRI rebate; however, they must provide a signed letter of approval from the landlord permitting the installation of the EV charger. 4. Is the rebate available to businesses or just individuals? Businesses, non-profits, and public sector entities are not eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program. 5. How do residents qualify for the additional Income-Qualified rebate? There are two ways to qualify for the Income-Qualified rebate: Option 1: You must participate in a state or federal income- qualified program (please refer to page 7 of the guidance document for list of eligible State and Federal programs). Option 2: You must meet the income requirements based on your household size (please refer to page 7 of the guidance document to view the 2024 Low-Income Guidelines table). Landlords are not eligible to receive an income-qualified rebate. 6. What chargers are eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program? Eligible chargers for the PowerUpRI rebate program are Level 2 residential EV chargers that are Energy Star certified. The Office of Energy Resources highly recommends choosing a Wi-Fi-enabled or networked charger. These advanced chargers can capture and transmit data, making it easier for you to participate in future utility-run programs, such as off-peak charging and other related initiatives. For a full list of requirements, please see page 5 of the guidance document. 7. What chargers are not eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program? Level 1 and Level 3 (or DC Fast Chargers) are not eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program. additionally, Level 2 EV Chargers that are not Energy Star certified are not eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program. Unsure of the differences between levels of charging? Learn more about each level at https://energy.ri.gov/transportation/ev-charging 8. Who can install the residential EV charging stations? To be eligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program, EV chargers must be installed by a certified, licensed electrician. Residents and landlords are not allowed to install the EV chargers themselves. Any EV chargers not installed by a certified, licensed electrician are ineligible for the PowerUpRI rebate program. 9. Is there a limit to how many rebates one household can receive? For individual installations, there is a limit of one rebate per household for the program’s lifetime. For landlord installations, there is a limit of one rebate per property for the program’s lifetime. 10. How many household installations will this rebate program be able to cover? The PowerUpRI rebate program will start with an initial funding of $750,000. This amount is estimated to cover at least 800 at-home EV charger installations. However, the final number of rebates awarded may vary depending on the percentage of installations that require electrical upgrades.. 11. What if an applicant purchased a charger prior to the PowerUpRI start date? Only eligible chargers purchased on, or after, the PowerUpRI start date (08/01/2024) are eligible to apply for an incentive. There will be no retroactive rebates for prior purchases and installations. 12. Where can I find safety information related to at-home EV Chargers? Several government agencies and national associations have created informational flyers related to at-home EV Charger safety. You can use any of the following links to locate these flyers: Federal Emergency Management Agency: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/vehicle-fires/electric-vehicles/ National Fire Protection Association: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/electrical/electric-vehicles Electrical Safety Foundation: https://www.esfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ESFI-Electric-Vehicle-Charging-Safety.pdf Application Questions 1. How do residents apply for the rebate? Applications for the PowerUpRI rebate program are available through the online portal at https://drive.ri.gov/powerupri. Alternatively, residents can email us at energy.powerupri@energy.ri.gov to request a printed copy of the application to be mailed to them. They can also call us at (401) 215-6057 for assistance. 2. How does the PowerUpRI application process work? After purchasing and installing an eligible EV charger, please visit https://drive.ri.gov/powerupri to submit an application and upload supporting documentation. You must submit your application and supporting documents within 180 days of your EV charger’s installation. The PowerUpRI program administrator will contact you via email with status updates or requests for additional information. If applicants don't have access to a computer, the program administrator can assist them through the application process. Please reach out to the program administrator at (401) 215-6057 to begin the process. 3. How long does it take to process the application? 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. Processing times may vary. 4. Is there a deadline to apply for the rebate? Yes, eligible applicants must submit an application and all required supporting documentation within 180 days of the EV charger installation date. If the application and documentation are not submitted within this timeframe, the applicant will no longer be eligible for the rebate. Applications missing any documents will have two weeks to submit all required documentation, unless the two-week period extends beyond the 180-day application period.Only eligible chargers purchased on or after the PowerUpRI start date (08/01/2024) are eligible for an incentive. There will be no retroactive rebates for prior purchases.Rebates will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, pending available funds. 5. Can residents apply for the rebate before purchasing an EV charger? No, PowerUpRI is a post-installation rebate program. Applications must be submitted after the applicant purchases and installs the EV Charger. Submitting an application for the PowerUpRI rebate does not guarantee award. 6. How will residents receive the rebate (e.g., check, direct deposit)? 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. Processing times may vary. General Information 1. How long does it take to charge an EV using a Level 2 at-home charger? Level 2 Charging provides an average of 25 miles of driving range per hour of charging. This makes level 2 charging perfect for home installations, as residents can charge overnight and wake up to a fully charged battery. 2. When is the best time to charge my electric vehicle? Charging your electric vehicle during off-peak hours can help you save money on electricity and reduce your environmental impact. Off-peak hours are usually late at night – after 10 PM is best or early in the morning when electricity demand is low. Another good time to charge is during the middle of the day when solar energy is abundant, such as between 10 AM and 2 PM. 3. Are there any state incentives for Rhode Islanders to purchase or lease EVs? Yes. DRIVEEV is an EV rebate project administered through a partnership between OER and the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank (RIIB). This project provides rebates to Rhode Island residents, small businesses, non-profits, and public sector entities to advance our clean transportation objectives in reducing transportation emissions and advancing the Act on Climate. DRIVEEV offers rebates of up to $1,500.00 for the purchase or lease of new battery EVs and fuel-cell EVs and up to $1,000.00 for new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The project also provides rebates of up to $1,000.00 for the purchase or lease of used battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles and up to $750.00 for used plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Additional rebates are available for small businesses, non-profits, and public sector entities. It is the applicant's responsibility to submit the application online within 120 days of vehicle purchase or lease to qualify for the DRIVEEV program. For more information about DRIVEEV, please visit www.drive.ri.gov. 4. Does my utility, Rhode Island Energy, offer any electric vehicle incentives? Coming soon! Rhode Island Energy to launch the ConnectedSolutions Electric Vehicle Demand Response “EVDR” Program. The program helps EV drivers earn incentives to curtail electric vehicle charging and energy use when demand on the New England electric grid is forecasted to be at its peak. After enrolling a qualified EV or EV Charger and during a peak event, Rhode Island Energy will automatically send a signal to the participants EV or EV Charger to not charge during peak times. For more information, please visit: https://www.rienergy.com/RI-Home/ConnectedSolutions/EVDR [rienergy.com] 5. How many public EV charging stations are in RI? As of July 1, 2024, Rhode Island has 284 locations equipped with Level 2 EV charging stations, offering a total of 650 Level 2 charging ports. Additionally, there are 41 locations in Rhode Island with DC fast charging (DCFC) EV charging stations providing 94 DCFC ports. 6. How many EVs are registered in RI? As of July 1st, 2024, there are 12,272 zero emission vehicles registered in Rhode Island.
