An Act To Provide Purchase Rebates for Battery Electric Vehicles
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0614
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: INGWERSEN, BABBIDGE, CLOUTIER, DODGE, HEPLER, JORGENSEN, KESSLER, MEYER, PLUECKER
Amends: 35-A MRSA §10124

Legislative Document
No. 614
H.P. 442
House of Representatives, February 5, 2019
An Act To Provide Purchase Rebates for Battery Electric Vehicles
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative INGWERSEN of Arundel.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BABBIDGE of Kennebunk, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, 
DODGE of Belfast, HEPLER of Woolwich, JORGENSEN of Portland, KESSLER of South 
Portland, MEYER of Eliot, PLUECKER of Warren.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §10124 is enacted to read:
§10124.  Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Battery electric vehicle" means a fully electric, zero-emission vehicle that has an 
on-board electrical energy storage device that is designed to be recharged using an 
external energy source.
B.  "Eligible electric vehicle" means a battery electric vehicle that:
(1)  Is sold or offered for sale in new condition by its original equipment 
manufacturer or an authorized licensee of the original equipment manufacturer;
(2)  Has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of not more than $50,000; and
(3)  Is listed by the trust in accordance with subsection 4.
C.  "Fund" means the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund established in subsection 2.
D.  "Program" means the program established pursuant to subsection 3.
2.  Fund established.  The Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund is established as a 
nonlapsing fund administered by the trust to support the program.  Any interest earned on 
funds in the fund must be credited to the fund, and funds not spent in any fiscal year 
remain in the fund to be used in accordance with this section.  The trust may receive and 
deposit in the fund funds from the following sources:
A.  Federal funds and awards that may be used for the purposes of this section;
B.  Any interest earned on investment of fund balances; and
C.  Any other funds from public or private sources received in support of the 
purposes for which the fund is established.
3.  Program established.  In accordance with the provisions of this section, the trust 
shall establish and administer a program that, beginning July 1, 2020, allows a person 
who purchases or leases an eligible electric vehicle to apply for and, as resources within 
the fund allow, receive a direct rebate of $2,500 if the person meets the following 
eligibility criteria:
A.  The person is a resident of the State;
B.  On or after July 1, 2020, the person purchases the eligible electric vehicle or 
enters into a lease of the eligible electric vehicle with a term of 36 months or more.  
A person who purchases or enters into a lease of an eligible electric vehicle outside of 
the State is eligible for a direct rebate under this section as long as the person 
registers the vehicle as a new vehicle with the State within the 3 months following the 
date the person purchases or leases the vehicle and as long as the person meets all 
other eligibility requirements under this section;
C.  The person submits within the 3 months following the date the person purchases 
or leases the eligible electric vehicle an application for the rebate using forms 
developed and made available by the trust; and
D.  The person certifies that the person intends to retain ownership, whether through 
purchase or lease, of the eligible electric vehicle for at least 36 months from the date 
the person purchases or leases the vehicle.  The trust may require a person who 
receives a direct rebate under this section but who does not retain ownership of the 
eligible electric vehicle for at least 36 months to repay to the trust up to the full 
amount of the rebate. 
4.  List of eligible electric vehicles; applications.  The trust shall develop, make 
available on its publicly accessible website and periodically update a list of eligible 
electric vehicles included in the program.  The trust shall develop and make available at 
its offices and on its publicly accessible website all forms and other documents necessary 
for a person to apply for and receive a direct rebate under this section.
5.  Rules.  The trust may adopt rules to implement this section.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
EFFICIENCY MAINE TRUST
Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund  N295
Initiative: Provides one-time funding to support direct rebates to purchasers of eligible 
electric vehicles from the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund established in the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 35-A, section 10124.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes an electric vehicle rebate program to be administered by the 
Efficiency Maine Trust that, beginning July 1, 2020, allows a person who purchases or 
leases an eligible battery electric vehicle to apply for and, as resources allow, receive a 
direct rebate of $2,500 if the person meets certain eligibility criteria.  The bill also 
provides a General Fund appropriation of $500,000 to support the direct rebates to be 
made available under the program.
GENERAL FUND
2019-20
2020-21
All Other
$0
$500,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$0
$500,000