Rocky Mountain Power is honoring this year’s National Drive Electric Week by making it easier for Utahns to go electric.
“When you look over the life of a car, the total cost of ownership is now lower for an EV than a gas-powered vehicle,” said James Campbell, Policy Director of Innovation and Sustainability at Rocky Mountain Power. “We are making EV ownership and operation more accessible to Utahns by expanding the state’s charging infrastructure.”
National Drive Electric Week is an annual celebration that helps raise awareness about the benefits of all-electric and plug-in vehicles (EVs) and motorcycles, and this year it’s taking place Sep. 23-Oct. 2 across the country.
According to Desert News and an analysis by iSeeCars.com, U.S. sales of EVs are surging in some unexpected places with Utah ranking No. 3 for hybrid/EV ownership growth and Salt Lake City ranking second (No. 2) with the highest growth in hybrid/EV adoption since 2014—further demonstrating that EVs are an accelerating trend.
Promoting EV adoption in Utah
Planned Charger Map | Rocky Mountain Power
Over the past decade, Rocky Mountain Power has taken key steps to remove barriers for EV adoption in Utah in an effort to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality. Among the latest efforts include a $50-million investment in electrical vehicle charging infrastructure, giving EV drivers greater access to fast chargers throughout the state.
Rocky Mountain Power is offering plug-in vehicle drivers a way to potentially save money in the way they pay for electricity through an optional Time of Use program. Under this program, the electricity price depends on when drivers use it to charge their vehicles. This program cuts the typical 9 to 12 cents per kWh energy cost down to about 5 cents when drivers are most likely to be home charging anyway—between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. This price is roughly equivalent to 50 cents per gallon of gas, depending on the vehicle. Shifting their charging over to these times helps reduce strain on the power grid, which benefits all customers.
The Time of Use program savings are only a part of a larger suite of local, state and federal incentives and rebates now available to drivers making the switch to electric. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and other programs, EV adoption in Utah is easier than ever before:
· The Inflation Reduction Act will provide up to $4,000 dollars in tax credits for used electric vehicles and up to $7,500 dollars in tax credits for new electric vehicles for eligible taxpayers beginning in 2023.
· Utah DEQ air quality incentives.
· Utah green driver incentives.
· Cash rebates for Utah businesses, communities and multi-unit properties that install Level 2 and DC fast chargers available from Rocky Mountain Power. Residential customers may qualify for rebates for approved Level 2 chargers.
· Salt Lake City’s free metered parking for green vehicles.
“There are many sources of air pollution in Utah, and because pollution coming from cars and trucks makes up nearly half, electric vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions are an important piece of the long-term strategy for improving air quality. It’s important that we look to ourselves and what we can do to lessen our individual impact to air quality. Driving an electric car is a great way to contribute to cleaner air in Utah,” said Ashley Miller, Executive Director of Breathe Utah.
On Sept. 29, Rocky Mountain Power is partnering with The Salt Lake Tribune and Weber State University to host, “Volts and Bolts,” a community conversation, discussing the rollout of electric vehicles and what this means for the automotive industry. This free event will be livestreamed and held at 4 p.m. in Building D2, room 110 at Weber State’s Layton Campus, but RSVPs are encouraged. To learn more, click here.