GOV. JAY INSLEE TO SIGN HB 2778 – ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES TAX EXEMPTION

GOV. JAY INSLEE TO SIGN HB 2778 – ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES TAX EXEMPTION

STATE + FEDERAL INCENTIVES TAKE $10,000 OFF THE PRICE OF AN EV

SEATTLE, WA – Gov. Jay Inslee is scheduled to sign HB 2778 – the electric vehicle (EV) sales tax exemption – on Monday, April 18 (link) at 1 p.m. in the Govenor’s Conference Room in Olympia.

“This bill will help get more Washington residents behind the wheel of a great EV,” said JJ McCoy, the volunteer Legislative Director for the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association.  “Several exciting mid-market cars with 200 miles of range will be in showrooms soon, and Washington’s incentive will give them a boost.”

HB 2778 enacts a much needed fix to Washington’s (EV) sales tax exemption, providing up to about $3,100 off the purchase or lease of a new car.  Together with federal incentives, this can lower the cost of a non-polluting EV by over $10,000.  Prior law capped the program at a $35,000 purchase price.  The new law raises that cap to $42,500, which will include the Chevy Bolt, the next gen Nissan Leaf, and the Tesla Model 3 – all with 200 miles of electric range.

“Electric vehicles have a host of benefits – lower carbon emissions, lower fueling costs, better air quality – but they still cost more to make than an equivalent gas car,” McCoy said.  “As car makers scale up battery production and prices fall, EVs will soon be able to compete unsubsidized and provide a compelling value proposition.  Fueling up costs just $0.85 a ‘gallon’ on Washington electricity rates, so once you have the car, you’re saving money with every mile.”

“They’re also just a lot of fun to drive.  We find that once people try an EV, they never they never want to go back to their gas car.”

SEVA applauds Washington legislators for their hard work on this issue, chief among them bill sponsor Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma), who expertly found a compromise legislative solution that could pass both House and Senate in very partisan times.  Thanks as well to Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-Kalama), the lead Republican sponsor, and House and Senate Transportation Chairs Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island) and Sen. Curtis King (R-Yakima) for all their efforts.

For more information, see the attached FAQ document.

SEVA is an all-volunteer organization with members in Seattle, King County, and neighboring counties.  Our members have been promoting carbon-free driving in electric vehicles (EVs) since 1979.  We share our “EVanglism” at car shows and other public events.  We also advocate changes to public policy to better promote and support electric transportation.  More at http://www.seattleeva.org

April 15, 2015

CONTACT:

JJ McCoy, Legislative Director
Seattle Electric Vehicle Association
206-295-0196 | jjmccoy72@gmail.com