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Electric Car Charger

RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE REBATE PROGRAM

NEW!

Starting November 15, 2023, customers can get $1,000 from SBCE while income qualified customers can earn up to $2,000 in a rebate!

REBATES

One (1) EV incentive for each SBCE account. EV purchases that received rebates in previous years of the Program are not eligible for incentives.

Incentive Levels

NEW VEHICLES

PRE-OWNED VEHICLES

VEHICLE TYPE

Incentive

Income Qualified

Incentive

Incentive

Income Qualified

Incentive

Battery Electric

$1,000

$2,000

$1,000

$2,000

Plug-in Hybrid Electic

$1,000

$2,000

$1,000

$2,000

Electric Motorcycle

$750

$1,500

n/a

n/a

ELIGIBILITY

Every Application 

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Any member of the community who lives at a residence served by SBCE with an account in good standing is eligible to apply for the Electrify Santa Barbara - Residential Electric Vehicle Rebate. Each SBCE account is eligible for one electrical vehicle rebate.

 

  1. Vehicle(s) must be registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to an address enrolled in SBCE service.
     

  2. Vehicles must be one of the following vehicle types: Battery Electric Vehicles (“BEV”), Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (“PHEV”), Electric Motorcycles (New only).
     

  3. Eligible used vehicles must meet the following requirements: Must be 8 model years old or newer (e.g., Year 2024 = 2017 or newer), less than 75,000 original miles, no modifications to chassis or emission control systems, clean Title (cannot be salvaged), no open recalls. (Closed recalls must show proof of repairs.)

How to Get an Income Qualified Bonus

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  1. If you are already registered as a CARE/FERA customer, you are considered income qualified; and

  2. If you are already enrolled in one of the following programs, you will be considered income qualified:

    1. Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance

    2. CalFresh/SNAP (food stamps)

    3. CalWorks (TANF)/Tribal TANF

    4. Head Start Income Eligible (tribal only)

    5. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

    6. Medi-Cal (income qualified Medi-Cal only)

    7. Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A&B)

    8. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

    9. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

      1. To qualify, the applicant’s name must match that of the participant enrolled in the eligible public assistance program and the proof of enrollment must be dated within 12 months of the application submission date.

      2. At the end of the rebate application, you must submit proof of enrollment for the income qualified list above. CARE/FERA customers are already registered in SBCE’s system and do not need to upload proof of enrollment.

Hand Waving Out of Car

APPLICATION PROCESS

  1. Review your most recent bill to verify if “Santa Barbra Clean Energy Generation Charges” are included in the statement. If that’s present on your bill, you are an SBCE member and can continue with the process.

  2. Read through the 'Pre-Application Terms and Conditions'. Purchase or lease your electric vehicle.

  3. Submit your online application with all required documents.

  4. SBCE processes your application and will notify you of your application status.

  5. If approved, you will receive your rebate check in the mail!

Electric Vehicle Rebate

Pre-Application Checklist 

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  1. You are an SBCE customer.

  2. You have the necessary documents to upload.

  3. Your vehicle was:

    1. Purchased after November 15, 2023, and

    2. $80,000 or lower in price, using the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) that does not include destination charges or optional items added by the dealer, or taxes and fees.

  4. You thoroughly read SBCE’s “Pre-Application Terms and Conditions” for the full eligibility breakdown.

Documents required for upload: 

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  1. Car Registration (temporary is acceptable)

  2. A full copy of the sales/lease agreement

  3. Valid CA Driver’s license (current, not expired)

  4. Proof of income qualifying program enrollment. If you are a CARE/FERA customer, you do not need to upload any documents for proof.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: How do I know if rebate funds are available?

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A: SBCE has allocated a limited amount of money for this rebate program. Once the funds run out, the online application will be suspended. Feel free to call 805-897-1979 to confirm that funds are still available.

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Q: What is considered "date of purchase" for a vehicle that is ordered online?

 

A: The purchase date on the bill of sale will be the date to use for your application. The purchase date must be after November 15, 2023.

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Q: I live with other renters. Can we all qualify for the EV rebate?

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A: Right now, only one vehicle per SBCE account can qualify for the rebate.

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Q: How long will it take to receive my rebate?

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A: Please expect up to 45 days to process your application. If you receive an email confirming your rebate, your check will be delivered to the mailing address provided in your application within 45 days. For urgent inquiries, please email SBCEPrograms@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

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Q: How do I apply for a rebate?

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A: Please click on the link below.

Q: How can I follow up on the status of my application?

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A: After submitting the application, applicants will receive an automated email letting applicants know the application was successfully submitted. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application at each of the following stages via email:

1. Incomplete Application: Email requests documents, information, or both from the applicant to continue processing the application.

2. Denied Application: Email notifies the applicant that the application was denied because it did not meet the requirements of the program.

3. Application Approved: Email notifies the applicant that the application was approved, and a check will be delivered to the applicant's mailing address.

If you have any inquiries that were not addressed by these emails, please email Santa Barbara Clean Energy at SBCEPrograms@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

 

Q: What if I don't have access to a scanner?

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A: Please submit a complete, clear, and legible photo of your documents.  

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Q: How will SBCE verify I am an income qualified applicant?

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A: SBCE will use an internal system to determine whether you are already registered as a CARE or FERA customer. If you are not a CARE/FERA customer but you are enrolled in an Income Qualified Public Assistance Program and upload proof of enrollment, SBCE staff will verify your documents and determine your status from there.

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Q: Why isn't my vehicle eligible for a rebate?

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A: Used vehicles eight (8) years (Current Year 2024 = 2017 Used Vehicle Year Cap) or older are not eligible to receive a rebate.

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Q: How many rebates can I receive?

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A: Residential applicants are eligible for one EV rebate per SBCE account.

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Q: What qualifies as an electric motorcycle?

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A: Qualifying Electric Motorcycles include motorcycles or motor-driven cycles, according to the DMV under California Vehicle Code Sections 400, 12804.9(b)(4) and 405, 12804.9(b)(4), that require the applicant to obtain motor vehicle insurance, an M1 driver's license, and license plates for their electric motorcycle. The Electrify Santa Barbara Program does not provide incentives for Class 1, 2, or 3 electric bicycles, or the electric equivalent of a motorized bicycle, such as a moped.

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Q: My used vehicle is involved in an open recall. Do I need to prove the defect has been fixed?

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A: Yes, all eligible used vehicles in open recall must show proof of repair. For more information about the open recall for Chevy Bold EVs (2017-2022) and Bolt EUVs (2022), please visit: www.chevrolet.com/electric/bolt-recall.

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Q: Do you offer a rebate for ebikes, charging infrastructure, panel upgrades...

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A: For a full list of updated programs and incentives offered, please click the link below. As SBCE continues to grow, keep an eye out for more programs to come!

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