I recently bought a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Since then, I’ve had many people ask me about my car – both how it works, and what the buying process was like. I can sum it up like this: My car “works” like a regular car except that it runs off of electricity in addition to gasoline, and in the end, I paid less than I would have for a comparable gas-powered vehicle, both in terms of purchase price and long-term operating cost.

Thanks to incentives from New York and the federal government, hybrid and full-electric vehicles are now within reach for most people in the new car market. New York State’s Drive Clean Rebate offers up to $2,000 as a point-of-sale rebate, which means the money goes directly to the dealer and is therefore deducted from your purchase price. The federal government offers tax credits of up to $7,500. The farther a car can go on an electric charge, the higher the rebate and tax credits. And there is a range of cars that qualify, from hatchbacks to SUVs, economy cars to luxury vehicles.

If you are a National Grid customer, you can take advantage of a program that gives electric vehicle owners a lower rate on electricity if they charge their cars during off-peak hours (most electric vehicles can be programmed to charge at a certain time). They estimate this could save an average user $175 in a year!

While there are full-electric vehicles out there that can now go more than 200 miles without needing a charge, there are lots of hybrids like mine that give you the security of a gas-powered backup. And the number of charging stations across New York and the US is growing daily, with phone apps that make it easy to find them. (One thing that has surprised me is how many places offer FREE charging!)

Once you are behind the wheel of your new car, be sure to drive it to Reinstein Woods and take advantage of our solar-powered car charging station. It’s free electricity, powered by the sun! Happy driving.

– Meaghan Boice-Green, Center Director, NYSDEC Reinstein Woods