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San Diego has sumptuous beaches, lots of sunshine and now, a reason to buy an electric vehicle. The city's utility company, San Diego Gas & Electric, is offering big incentives to get folks to purchase a BMW i3 or a Nissan LEAF.
Over half of the country's plug-in vehicles are sold in California, so it's not too surprising that San Diego has joined a host of other utility companies in the state in offering sweet deals on EVs. Buyers living in San Diego can slash roughly $10,000 from the purchase price of either electric car, and get an annual $200 credit on their electricity bill through the city's EV Climate Credit program.
Ca$h is King
Those savings alone may be enough to entice some would-be EV consumers into forking over money for either car, but there's more cash to be had: the rebates can be combined with state and federal incentives.
The Golden State offers a $4,500 purchase rebate for qualified low-income applicants, while others are eligible for $2,500. Throw in the federal government's income tax credit of up to $7,500, and the additional incentives can add up to $10,000 on top of the utility's $10,000.
Simple Savings
It's super simple to get the dough in San Diego. The utility company asks a customer to provide a copy of their utility bill and a discount flyer to any participating BMW or Nissan dealership. Family members living in the same household as the utility's primary account holder can also snag the incentives, but evidence of residency is required.
SDG&E joins Southern California Edison as the latest utility company to offer discounts on electric cars, though SCE has offered just $450 towards a new purchase.
Celebrate EVs
Soaking up the SoCal sun in an electric car just got a lot more cash friendly. But act fast: the discount expires September 30th. Still on the fence about buying an EV? You may want to check out National Electric Drive Week in San Diego, which will be held September 9th through the 17th. The utility company is calling it the largest EV test drive event to date in the city. Electric Vehicle Day San Diego will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 9 at Qualcomm Stadium.