State of Delaware offers clean vehicle rebates to improve air quality

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The purpose of the Clean Vehicle Rebate Programme is to provide incentives for Delaware inhabitants and businesses to purchase or lease alternative fuel vehicles. This programme encourages the deployment of LPG, natural gas, and electric vehicles and is aligned with Delaware’s commitment to innovation in the transport sector, reducing greenhouse gases, and improving Delaware’s air quality.

The discount the driver receives under this programme is based on the class of alternative fuel vehicle that is purchased: dedicated Autogas vehicles will receive $1,500 and bi-fuel Autogas vehicles will get $1,350. Vehicles must be purchased between 1 November 2016 and 30 June 2018 to qualify for a rebate under this programme.

“Transportation is often one of the sectors with the highest emissions of greenhouse gases (about 26% in Delaware),” explained Morgan Ellis, greenhouse gas mitigation programme manager at DNREC. “We had been looking at other states, partners in the region, trying to understand how they incentivise cleaner transportation.”

“In Delaware, Autogas vehicles are gaining in popularity,” Ellis confirmed. “And where we see a lot of traction with that type of fuel is in what we consider the midsize fleet (classes 3 through 6 vehicles). We are seeing that more school buses, some sedans, and mainly trucks for delivery, have found that the fuel that is really good for them is propane. (The vehicles’ engines) are cleaner burning, they are quieter and there are a lot of benefits.”