Updated at 3:20 p.m. Sept. 6, 2017

Teachers and first responders such as police officers and firefighters are eligible for a $1,000 rebate on the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle under a three-year, $500,000 San Diego Gas & Electric program that was announced Wednesday.

In the first year, 300 of those who live in the SDG&E service territory of San Diego and southern Orange counties will be eligible on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Teachers and first responders are the bedrock of our community, they give so much to our community,” said Caroline Winn, SDG&E’s chief operating officer.

“We know a lot of them enter public service driven by a desire to make the world a better place, and many are motivated to reduce their carbon footprint,” Winn said. “The EV rebate program is one way we can show our appreciation and help them make the switch to driving electric.”

She said the company is using shareholder funds, not revenues from ratepayers, to pay for the discounts.

When added to rebates offered by state and federal agencies and automakers, prospective buyers can knock as much as $20,000 off the price of an EV, according to the utility.

While some EVs can be had for roughly the mid-$20,000s, sticker prices for most are in the $30,000s and $40,000s, according to Plug In America, a nonprofit advocacy group that partnered with SDG&E to carry out the program.

More information is available online at sdge.com/evrebate.

SDG&E made its announcement at a San Diego fire station three days before it hosts Electric Vehicle Day at San Diego Stadium. Around 30 models are expected to be available for test drives at Saturday’s event.

— City News Service

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