Frequently Asked Questions

Efficiency Maine currently offers electric vehicle rebates to qualifying low-income Mainers only. Efficiency Maine previously offered rebates to all Maine residents and businesses, but suspended those offerings on November 16, 2024.

At this time, there is no scheduled date for resuming rebates for any-income, moderate-income, and commercial customers. For general information on the future of the EV rebate program, see Section 5.6 of Efficiency Maine’s proposed Triennial Plan VI (FY26-FY28)

If you are buying or leasing an EV at a dealership, you will need to present a valid Maine driver’s license and sign the Efficiency Maine Rebate Claim Form at the point of sale in order to receive the instant rebate. Additionally, you must apply for and receive low-income verification before the transaction.

Customers who purchase or lease an eligible EV directly from a manufacturer must apply for a rebate through our website. Participants must submit a completed rebate application form within 60 days of the transaction. As with purchases from dealers, you must apply for and receive low-income verification before the date of purchase.

There are federal tax credits for purchasing both new and used electric vehicles, as well as installing EV charging stations. Manufacturers also often offer specials on EV leases.

Driving an electric vehicle (EV) can save you hundreds of dollars in fuel costs compared to driving an all-gasoline vehicle. Actual savings depend on vehicle type and miles driven. Efficiency Maine analysis in 2022 found that the typical annual fuel cost for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) in Maine is just $754, compared to $1,053 for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and $1,975 for all-gas vehicles. 

In addition to fuel savings, EVs have simpler electric motors that require less maintenance compared to cars with internal combustion engines. For example, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) never need an oil change! You can use the U.S. Department of Energy’s vehicle cost calculator tool to compare the operating costs of an EV and a conventional gas vehicle. 

Efficiency Maine offers “rebate holds” for vehicles that have been ordered with a paid deposit but will not be delivered until a later date. A rebate hold allows Efficiency Maine to reserve funds for the rebate(s) for 120 days or until the purchase is completed, whichever comes sooner.

• If you ordered the vehicle through a Participating Dealer, ask the dealer to submit the rebate hold request.
• If you ordered the vehicle directly from the manufacturer, you can submit a rebate hold request using the EV Rebate Application Form.

See EV Program Manual for full details about rebate holds.

EVs are generally less expensive to fuel than all-gasoline vehicles. The cost of charging an electric vehicle (EV) varies depending on the time of day, current battery charge, and the battery capacity of your EV. An easy way to estimate fuel costs is to multiply fuel efficiency by the cost of electricity. In Maine, the standard residential cost of a kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity is 22.6 cents ($0.226) as of January 1, 2024. If your EV model requires 35 kWh per 100 miles, then it will cost about $7.91 for 100 miles or 7.9 cents per mile. In comparison, a gasoline vehicle that gets 25 miles per gallon, at a gas price of $3.5 per gallon, will cost $14.00 to drive 100 miles or about 14 cents per mile. Visit www.fueleconomy.gov to see the fuel economies of different vehicles.

Most electric vehicles have adequate range to fulfill typical driving needs, whether it be commuting to work, shopping, travel, or leisure activities. According to “onthemap,” a U.S. Census Bureau tool, the average daily commute in Maine is just 25 miles and only 12% of all Maine workers commute over 50 miles per day. Most plug-in hybrid electric vehicles offer 25-40 miles of electric range (before switching to gas), while the median range of battery electric vehicles for model year 2024 was 283 miles per charge (U.S. DOE).

Recent analysis by Recurrent Auto found that popular EV models average 80% of their electric range in freezing temperatures. A major reason for this range reduction is the energy-intensive process of heating the vehicle’s cabin. One of the best ways to reduce the demand of heating the vehicle’s cabin in an EV is to use heated seats and steering wheels. Drivers can also improve winter range by pre-heating the cabin and battery while it is plugged in. EV shoppers should keep in mind that models equipped with heat pumps retain significantly more range than models with other heating systems.

Cold weather can also impact the charging speed of an EV battery, particularly at DC fast chargers. However, most EVs have automatic battery preconditioning that mitigates most of this impact when traveling long distances.

Electric motors require much less maintenance and repairs compared to combustion engines. Since electric motors don’t use oil or transmission fluids, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have no oil to change, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) require infrequent oil changes. Both BEVs and PHEVs also have regenerative braking, which significantly reduces wear on brakes. Since EVs are generally heavier than gas counterparts, they often require more frequent tire replacements. Otherwise, EV maintenance looks much like gas car maintenance: tire rotations, windshield wipers, etc.

The lifetime of an EV battery depends on many factors, but modeling by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) suggests that modern EV batteries should last 12-15 years in moderate climates (U.S. DOE). Batteries do slowly lose usable range, but the loss is usually negligible; about 2% per year for an average vehicle. That means an EV with a range of 200 miles could lose about 23 miles of range over a five-year period. Additionally, degradation occurs at faster rates in hot weather conditions that are more typical for southern states than Maine.

Yes, Efficiency Maine offers a $300 Off-Peak Charger Discount to all Maine residents and businesses.

Most EV drivers charge their EV primarily at home. When home charging isn’t enough, there are public EV chargers across the state. Some public chargers allow users to pay with a credit card tap, while others require scanning a QR code or smartphone app (and some are even free!). Efficiency Maine has published a guide about charging your EV at home and finding EV chargers while on the go.

Home charging is usually done with a Level 1 or Level 2 charger. All electric vehicles (EVs) come with a Level 1 charger cord that can be plugged into a regular 120-volt outlet. EV drivers can also purchase a faster Level 2 charger (some EVs come with this), which must be plugged into a 240-volt outlet, the same type of outlet as for a clothes dryer. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers generally need a Level 2 charger at home to use their vehicle daily, while plug-in hybrid drivers (PHEVs) are usually fine with a Level 1 charger at home. Efficiency Maine offers a $300 Off-Peak Charger Discount for Emporia-brand Level 2 off-peak chargers.

Level 1 charging rarely requires upgrades to electrical panels, as the electricity draw is relatively low. Level 2 chargers, on the other hand, may require panel upgrades. It is important to speak to a licensed electrician to determine if your home’s electrical panel needs to be upgraded prior to installing a Level 2 charger. Visit Efficiency Maine’s Registered Vendor Locator Tool and select “EV Chargers” to find professionals near you with experience installing home EV chargers. Alternatively, some companies offer special load monitoring equipment that prevents the EV charger from exceeding the available capacity. For more information, download Efficiency Maine’s guidebook, How to Select and Install a Home EV Charger.

A growing number of businesses in Maine provide EV charging. Many EVs have built-in navigation software that automatically routes the driver to a charging station when needed. Visit the Charging Station Locators page to find websites and mobile apps that help with finding EV charging on the road.

Charging times vary by the vehicle model, charging equipment, and even weather. Level 1 chargers can conveniently plug into a standard 120-volt outlet, but they are the slowest option, generally delivering five miles of range per hour. Level 2 chargers (the most common type) offer about 25-50 miles of range per hour of charging. Level 3 chargers (aka “DC fast chargers”) are most similar to a gas pump, delivering 100-500+ miles of range per 30 minutes of charging.

Efficiency Maine does not offer rebates for home EV chargers. Efficiency Maine occasionally offers funding for commercial/public EV chargers, which are posted to the Opportunities page and announced via the Electric Vehicle Notices newsletter. There are federal tax credits available for electric vehicle charging equipment for residential or commercial use. 

Efficiency Maine has a guide to installing Level 2 EV chargers at commercial and public properties.

To start, you’ll need to decide how you’ll purchase and install the equipment. There are full-service vendors that can assess the site, install the charging unit, and collect charging payments via their networking software. Efficiency Maine lists many such vendors on our website.

Alternatively, you can directly purchase the charging equipment and work with an electrician or local installer to complete your project. Efficiency Maine’s Qualified Partner locator tool allows you to find electricians that can install EV charging equipment.

Most EV charging locations have between two and six charging ports. There is no simple formula to determine the appropriate number of charging ports for a given location. Some sites choose to start with one charger and add more if demand is high. You can consult an EV charging service provider for detailed assistance on this topic.

A networked charging station can communicate over the internet, allowing payment to be collected via credit card or smartphone app, and some remote servicing and troubleshooting. In exchange for these services, the station host pays monthly networking fees. Networked stations are more complex to install and more expensive than non-networked stations. For example, a non-networked Level 2 charger could cost $600 to several thousand dollars, whereas a networked Level 2 charger starts at around $1,800 and can cost as much as $10,000.

There are many considerations in choosing a site for installing an EV charger. You will want to consider traffic volume and potential usage, proximity of the charging unit to the electrical box and power supply (to reduce the need for potential trenching and laying conduit), and parking availability. Other site considerations include safety, such as adequate lighting and visibility, and protection from the weather.

The type of charger also matters. For Level 3 DC Fast Chargers, customers will be charging for a relatively short amount of time and so generally desire gas station amenities such as restrooms and snacks. Level 2 chargers, meanwhile, are better located near activities that occupy several hours, such as parks, playgrounds, and movie theaters.

Multi-unit dwellings (MUDs), condos, and apartment buildings present unique challenges to installing chargers to serve residents. While home EV charging is by far the most convenient and cost-effective way for EV drivers to charge, it can be difficult to determine who pays for the charging infrastructure and the use of the electricity. 

• If the chargers are designated to particular residents (more common with condos), it is usually simplest for the residents who own EVs to pay for the equipment and installation.
• If the chargers are shared, a system for the users to pay for electricity may be needed. Some options are:
  • Traditional networked chargers where users pay each time they use the charger with a credit card, RFID card, or app
  • Membership-based networking system where users are charged to an online account
  • Basic non-networked chargers with a monthly user fee assessed to residents who have EVs

Visit our About EV Charging page for more resources for planning EV charging at multi-unit dwellings.

Efficiency Maine periodically releases grant opportunities for the installation of public EV chargers. For current grant opportunities, visit the Opportunities page. To receive email notifications of future grant opportunities, subscribe to Electric Vehicle Notices.

Federal tax credits may also be available to offset the cost of your EV charging project.

Efficiency Maine does not offer rebates to individuals purchasing electric bikes or scooters. In March 2024, Efficiency Maine awarded funding to Lewiston Housing Authority, Portland Housing Authority, and South Portland Housing Authority to implement electric bike pilots. The Trust will evaluate the results of these pilots to inform future program offerings.