Use a buy-down program to help offset the cost of leasing plug-ins

Example: Vacaville, CA

The City of Vacaville sponsors an EV lease buy-down program, which provides financial incentives to qualifying participants to reduce the cost of EV leasing. The buy-down program provides up to $6,000 in incentives to any qualifying participant who leases or purchases a new freeway capable EV from an original equipment manufacturer.

Solution Details:

Pain Point:  High initial costs for consumer

General Implementation Strategy:  Novel financing to reduce initial costs

Primary Actors:  City Government

Other solutions to this pain point:

• Utility subsidy in exchange for smart charging
• City/regional/state rebate program for purchase/lease of plug-ins
• Bundle key incentives at point of sale

Other solutions that fall into this general strategy:

• Help to offset the cost of plug-in leasing using a buy down program
• Sales tax exemption
• Battery lease service
• Low interest leases for plug-ins
• Property tax reduction
• Low interest capital loans for plug-ins
• Implement car share model
• Home charging station warranty

Other solutions for this primary actor:

• City/regional/state rebate program for purchase/lease or retrofit of plug-ins
• Help to offset the cost of plug-in leasing using a buy down program
• Bundle with home solar energy discounts and incentives
• Host demo projects in your region to showcase plug-in technology
• Free/reserved parking at retail, commercial and other private lots
• Provide infrastructure grants and loans
• Provide plug-in infrastructure information specifically for banks/financiers
• Infrastructure acupuncture: Strategically position charging stations for optimal use
• Focus charging stations along highways and other primary corridors of travel
• Train mechanics and maintenance technicians
• Invest in technical education and worker transition assistance for plug-in service people
• Provide grants to develop and deploy innovative plug-in technologies
• Track and measure progress
• Support public school access to plug-in related studies
• Maximize the production of clean tech engineers, scientists and business leaders
• Prove why this helps several departments, like air quality, and raise money from them
• Emphasize public good to justify public expenditure
• Install public charging facilities in municipal parking lots
• Provide a low interest loan to pay for capital
• Focus on PHEVs which dont need infrastructure
• Focus sales on consumers who DO have a home charging spot
• Conduct survey of early plug-in adopters to determine projected level
• Partner with utilities to upgrade houses so that they can handle charging infrastructure
• Highlight reduced fuel, maintenance, and servicing costs compared to ICE baseline
• Provide regional home charging infrastructure rebate
• No-fee for updating registration, free emissions testing, etc.
• Provide insurance discount
• Generate funds from a variety of sources
• Public investments in plug-in infrastructure match private-sector investments or vice versa
• Provide rebate to green developers and commercial retailers
• New home/parking deck building codes require wiring to support plug-ins
• Allow philanthropists to 'donate' a charge station
• Sell space on charge spots as green-associated advertising
• Bundle infrastructure contribution with plug-in purchase or lease
• Use the municipality tax base to pay
• Train installers to do install chargers quickly, efficiently
• Have regional stakeholder group assist in the formation of similar groups on a state level
• City/state governments commit to buying/funding a certain number of plug-ins
• Welcome responsible use of conversions
• Incentivize/subsidize non-traditional OEMs
• Allow low speed plug-ins to operate within city
• Facilitate plug-in infrastructure workshops
• Establish a public charging infrastructure plan
• Establish a local/state incentive plan
• Create a local marketing and educational outreach plan
• Facilitate emergency response training
• Fast-track health and safety codes that address plug-in charging equipment
• Fastrack new building codes
• Fastrack new electrical codes
• Create consumer networks
• Fleets commit to buy a certain number of plug-ins
• Encourage innovative public transportation models
• Ensure new and reconstruction and renovation home/building codes support the operation of plug-ins
• Expedite permitting and approval for facilities that provide public charging infrastructure
• Fast-track eased/self permitting and installation of electric vehicle charging outlets
• Ensure plug-ins are used as high-profile vehicles
• Sales tax exemption
• Implement car share model
• Pooled-purchase plug-in orders
• Leverage the collaborative power of a dedicated project leader
• Establish connection between project manager and a point person on the local regions' economic development board
• City/regional/state rebate program for purchase/lease of plug-ins
• Bundle key incentives at point of sale
• Reach out to students of all levels
• Sponsor an plug-in related contest for students
• Allow employees to volunteer and give plug-in related presentations to schools
• Invite educators or promising students to shadow plug-in using employees for a day
• Offer EVs for transportation days at schools
• Develop an plug-in curriculum for community colleges
• Create an plug-in fleet manager education program
• Property tax reduction
• Battery collection and recycling programs
• City financed lease buy-down program
• Ensure Project Leader Collaborates with city planner, mayor and public works director
• Free desirable parking at major retail, entertainment, commercial lots, with or without charge spots
• Big city decals, special license plates to show off
• Access to HOV lanes
• Early roll-out in taxi fleet, rental cars, corporate fleets.
• Create emotional connection between consumer and 'Plug in Story'
• Inform consumers of infrastructure implementation timeline well in advance
• Conduct plug-in ride and drives for policy makers and the general public
• Develop a quarterly newsletter to discuss EV issues
• Universities/colleges provide educational plug-in programs for students and consumers
• Habituate consumers to charging at the right time
• Convey the importance of off-peak charging
• Bundle with discounts on home solar
• Demo projects
• Give early adopters an ambassador kit
• Free downtown parking
• Give plug-in drivers access to 'breakdown lanes'
• Access to restricted driving areas
• No congestion fee for plug-ins
• Car comes with bike, bus pass, and light rail pass
• Virtual PHEVs from now to 2010
• Invite applicants to participate in an 'plug-in Field Trial'
• Traditional public service announcements
• Ensure marketing reflects the empowerment and fun associated with plug-ins
• Create targeted messaging for each stakeholder group
• Demonstrate charging technologies at community events
• Provide a centralized hub for incentive information
• Communicate safety measures that are being undertaken in tandem with plug-in roll out
• Address potential health concerns through marketing campaign
• Showcase process for businesses to install infrastructure
• Explain the electric system as a whole and how plub ins are a part of this system
• Clearly outline life-cycle environmental impacts

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