Daniel Moore reports for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Duquesne Light Co. announced on Monday that its customers are eligible for a $3,000 rebate until June 30 on the purchase of a 2018 Nissan Leaf, following a partnership struck with the automaker.
The rebate is the latest — and largest — effort by Duquesne Light to get more electric vehicles on the road in the Pittsburgh region. The Downtown-based electric utility, which has 500,000 customers in Allegheny and Beaver counties, is in the second year of a campaign to promote EVs as a smart investment.
More EV sales are also good business for the utility, as they mean more electricity sales at charging stations.
“Electric vehicle popularity has grown exponentially over the years and we’re starting to see it gain momentum in our area,” said Joe DeMatteo, the utility’s director of business development, in a press release. “This partnership is another example of DLC helping to raise awareness of EVs and promote the benefits of choosing an environmentally friendly mode of transportation.”
Earlier this year, Duquesne Light announced it is working with ride-hailing service Uber to advance EVs, though details of the partnership remain unclear. Utility and Uber officials in February floated the idea of eventually giving Uber drivers some incentives to buy electric vehicles and give more rides in them.
The rebate is the first time the utility has negotiated such an incentive for customers.
The $3,000 covers about 8 to 10 percent of the Nissan Leaf, which is listed between $30,000 and $36,000, depending on the model. Customers should show their Duquesne Light utility bill at a Nissan dealership to qualify for the rebate, the company said.
In addition to the manufacturer incentives, customers can qualify for federal tax credits of up to $7,500, as well as a $1,750 rebate through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate Program.
Daniel Moore: dmoore@post-gazette.com, 412-263-2743 and Twitter @PGdanielmoore
