Electrify Riverside

Program Guidelines

• Applicant must be an active Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) electric customer.
• The EV must be registered at the address of the active RPU electric customer account.
• The EV must be purchased from a commercial, used vehicle auto seller.
• Applicant must be actively enrolled in the SHARE Program to be eligible for the increased rebate of $1500.
• Low-income qualifications are based on the SHARE Program, 250% of Federal Poverty guidelines displayed here.
• Must provide copy of purchase or lease agreement of the USED battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
• Must provide copy of California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) registration.
• Must be a resident at the address on the application.
• Submit application within 180 days of purchase.
• Maximum of one (1) EV Rebate per household every three (3) years.
• Vehicle must be approved for highway application. (Electric scooters, electric bicycles, golf carts, neighborhood and low-speed vehicles are not eligible.)
• The incentive offer is subject to fund availability.
• All general program guidelines apply.

Required Documents for Eligibility:

• Copy of purchase or lease agreement of the USED electric vehicle/plug-in hybrid vehicle.
• Copy of current CA DMV Registration.

Used EV Rebate Application (English)

Used EV Rebate Application (Spanish)

Application and copies of required documents can be submitted by:

• Email
  [email protected]
• Mail
  Riverside Public Utilities Customer Resource Center
  ATTN: EV Rebate
  3025 Madison St. Riverside, CA 92504
• Drop Box
  Downtown Customer Payment Center
  Casa Blanca Customer Resource Center

Upon review and approval, rebates less than $500 will be applied as a bill credit to the RPU customer account. A rebate check will arrive by mail in 6-8 weeks for rebates of $500 or more.

Program Guidelines

• Applicant must be an active Riverside Public Utilities electric customer.
• The EV charger must be installed at applicant’s residence serviced under Riverside Public Utilities territory.
• Level 2 charger must be a new unit.
• Level 2 (240V) chargers must be equipped with the SAE J1772 standard or Tesla connector plug and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (or NRTL).
• All level 2 (240V) chargers must be wall-mounted at the electrical service address provided in the rebate application.
• An electrical permit from the City of Riverside’s Building and Safety Division is required for the installation of a hard-wired EV charger or new/modified 240V power socket.
• Applicants that utilize an existing 240V power socket are responsible to ensure the existing socket is compatible with the charger plug type and loading requirements – if unsure, check with a licensed electrician.
• An existing or new 240V outlet is NOT eligible for incentives. Plug in chargers are eligible for incentives.
• Maximum of one (1) EV Charger Rebate per household every three (3) years.
• RPU may conduct on-site inspection, at its own discretion, to verify information provided in the application.
• Charger rebate will be based upon actual cost of the charger and shall not exceed the cost of the equipment.
• Submit application within 180 days of completed installation.
• The incentive offer is on a first-come, first-served basis and is effective until funding is expended, or the program is discontinued.
• All general program guidelines apply.

Required Documents for Eligibility:

• A photo of the installed EV charger
• A copy of the Building/Electrical Inspection Sign Off that is provided by the Riverside Building Inspector after the charging station has been installed and inspected
• A photo of the serial number on the Level 2 charger
• All charging station purchase and installation receipts

EV Level 2 Residential Charger Rebate Application (English)

EV Level 2 Residential Charger Rebate Application (Spanish)

Application and copies of required documents can be submitted by:

• Email
  [email protected]
• Mail
  Riverside Public Utilities Customer Resource Center
  ATTN: EV Rebate
  3025 Madison St. Riverside, CA 92504
• Drop Box
  Downtown Customer Payment Center
  Casa Blanca Customer Resource Center

Upon review and approval, rebates less than $500 will be applied as a bill credit to the RPU customer account. A rebate check will arrive by mail in 6-8 weeks for rebates of $500 or more.

Similar to selecting a gasoline-powered car, choosing the electric vehicle that’s best for you depends on a number of different factors including your driving habits and personal preference. Here are some factors to consider:

• Total Range: How far will you travel? The total range of current electric vehicles vary greatly—anywhere from 40-350 miles.
• Gasoline Use: How much gasoline do you want to use? The battery capacity of an electric vehicle determines how far you can go without using a drop of gasoline.
• Charging: Where will you charge? Where you drive and how you'll charge your vehicle can help you decide which electric vehicle will meet your needs.

If your daily commute is less than 40 miles, many electric vehicles—hybrid or battery electric—will be able to handle your daily driving without the need for gas. If you want the ability to drive much farther, several battery electric vehicles can travel 100 to 200+ miles on a charge. If you need to drive farther without charging, consider an extended-range hybrid.

There are three types of EV chargers available on the market:

• Level 1 - uses a standard 120 volt AC electric circuit and does not require any additional installation. Works well for charging at home, work or anywhere a 120 volt outlet is available. Normally charges at a slower rate offering about 5 miles of range per hour charged. Level 1 charger is most useful when a vehicle will be parked for several hours.
• Level 2 - uses a 240/208 volt AC electric circuit. Offers charging through a 240 volt (residential) or 208 volt (commercial) AC plug and requires installing charging equipment and a dedicated electrical circuit. A Level 2 charger is considerably faster than Level 1 offering about 18-28 miles of range per hour charged, making it ideal for full charging overnight at home.
• DC Fast Charger (Level 3) - uses a 480 volt AC electric circuit, will recharge about 80% of the battery in 30 minutes. Uses a special plug compatible with many all-battery electric vehicles and is typically available at public sites due to the high costs and power it requires.

A plug-in electric vehicle is a vehicle that can be plugged into an electrical outlet or charging device to recharge its battery. There are two types: battery electric vehicles, which run only on electricity, and plug-in hybrids, which run mainly or solely on electricity until the battery is depleted and then are powered by an internal combustion engine.

A battery electric vehicle is fueled only by electricity, essentially replacing gasoline, diesel or other types of combustible fuels. It is purely electric, utilizing an electric motor to propel itself. A battery electric vehicle must plug in to a power source to recharge its battery.

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is a vehicle that uses both gasoline (stored in a gas tank) and electricity (stored in a battery).

Plug-in Hybrid electric vehicles can be categorized by the way they manage their gasoline and electricity:

A parallel hybrid uses both a combustion engine and an electric motor to deliver power to the wheels. The use of these two forms of power varies from vehicle to vehicle: the vehicle can be powered by just the electric motor, just the combustion engine, or a combination of both depending on driving conditions.

A series hybrid is directly powered only by the electric motor. The combustion engine is only used to recharge the battery, acting as an electric generator that converts gasoline to electricity. The three are aligned in-series: the combustion engine, then the electric motor, then the wheels. The market has commonly termed this as an extended-range electric vehicle because of its similarity to an all-electric battery electric vehicle, with the exception of using gasoline to "extend" its range.

Plug-in electric vehicles typically have lower total cost of ownership and, in particular, lower maintenance costs. This is because they have fewer moving parts, reduced oil changes (or none for a full electric) and fewer brake jobs—battery regeneration absorbs most of the energy. Hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles can go 100,000 miles before receiving a brake job.

Visit the Electric Power Research Institute

Yes, public charging stations are located in supermarket parking lots, city garages, gas stations and many other locations across the country. Some public charging stations are free and others require a fee or membership.

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Electric vehicles reduce the amount of gasoline we burn and are less costly to maintain, among many other benefits:

• Reduced Operating Emissions: The emissions associated with the electric drivetrain of plug-in electric vehicles come from power plants generating electricity to charge the batteries and not from tailpipe emissions. Additionally, from well to wheel, electric vehicles emit approximately 66 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) compared with internal combustion vehicles. CO2 is the principal gas associated with global warming.
• Water Quality Preservation: Decreased use of petroleum gasoline and motor oil means fewer spills and pollution to oceans, rivers and ground water.
• Reduced Noise: In addition to being cleaner, electric vehicles are quieter than gasoline-powered vehicles, resulting in less noise pollution.

Additionally, much of the electricity Riverside Public Utilities provides comes from sources that are either renewable or emit no greenhouse gases. That's why by choosing to drive an electric vehicle, you are helping to reduce pollution.

• Laws and Incentives: California has adopted several laws to accommodate the use of plug-in electric vehicles, including the qualification of select plug-in electric vehicles to use the HOV lane.
• Safety: Many electric vehicles receive top National Highway Safety Traffic Administration safety ratings. To date, findings have shown that several electric vehicle features maximize safety. For example, electric vehicles tend to have a lower center of gravity that makes them less likely to roll over, electric vehicles have less potential for major fires or explosions and the body construction and durability of electric vehicles enhance vehicle safety in a collision.

Lower Operational Costs: The estimated cost of electricity needed to power a plug-in electric vehicle is about one-third of the cost of gasoline.

Lower Maintenance Costs: The electrical components of plug-in electric vehicles require little to no regular maintenance due to far less moving parts. In hybrids, this leads to less wear and tear of gasoline components.

Rebates & Tax Credits: Many government agencies and local and regional entities offer incentives to encourage the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. Check out additional resources and incentives available under the Other Program Incentives & Resources section.

The U.S. Energy Department has created a website to determine an eGallon, or the cost of fueling a vehicle with electricity compared to a similar vehicle that runs on gasoline.

View eGallon Info

The electricity generated from a solar generating system could help offset the costs of electricity used to charge an electric vehicle. The net effect of the solar generating system will depend on the system's efficiency, the weather, the amount of energy used to charge the vehicle and other factors. Learn more about solar.