As of yesterday (Sep 3, 2019), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has reopened its rebate program for Texas residents purchasing new BEVs or PHEVs in Texas under its Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLIP) on September 3, 2019. The rebates for new EVs purchased or leased on or after September 1, 2019 is $2,500 and is limited to nor more than 2,000 new EVs. A list of currently pre-qualified, eligible vehicles is attached, as is the TCEQ's NoR (Notice of Rebates). A first glance appears to exclude Tesla vehicles, since Tesla does not sell through authorized dealers in Texas but rather sells directly via a factory-direct business model. For vehicles that Texas dealers must order for a customer, there is a procedure available for dealers to request a "reservation" in the otherwise first come, first serve program. More details and needed forms are to be found at https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/terp/ld.html.
Hi Texas22Step, I don't see where it says that I need to purchase the vehicle after 9/1...if I purchased it in April 2019, can I still apply? Thanks! -desiboy
That date came from para. 1.3a of the Notice of Rebates (NoR) I attached to the posting above. Since the previous program granted all available monies to qualifying buyers by early 2019, your purchase may have fallen in a "dark" period where no Texas rebate program was active. I suggest that you still go to the program web page, get the contact phone # at TCEQ and call them to ask about your situation. I haven't read every document yet, and maybe there is some "work-around" that will apply to you. They are happy to answer queries on the phone, in my experience.
Ugh, no luck. I sent them email and got this back: "One of the eligibility requirements for FY20 Light Duty is that the vehicle must have been purchased or leased on or after 09/01/19. Since you purchased yours in late April, then it is not an eligible project."
I still recommend a phone call with them. It is always harder for somebody in the bureaucracy to turn you down when confronting a real person rather than some abstract person's email. Besides, I remember that the previous program at least had some option for TCEQ to at least consider qualifying purchases made after the limit of that current program was reached and "wait list" those pending further funding from the Legislature. Bottom line: I would recommend you don't give up too easily on this. Fight for this a little before you give up on it. Also, consider approaching your state senate or state house representatives. These are the people who fund TCEQ and who might be surprised or at least disappointed that the bureaucracy has such a rigid approach to this issue.
