BMW i3 in Barcelona.
Image Credit: Zachary Shahan / CleanTechnica
Texas certainly isn’t known as a Tesla-friendly state. The Texas dealership lobby has kept Tesla out of the state, making it very difficult to buy a Tesla in Texas. The Lone Star State is moving to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles (and natural gas vehicles) within its borders. Its legislators have approved rebates of up to $2,500 for such vehicles. It lists the models that qualify for such rebates, but there are no Teslas on the list.
Why aren’t Tesla vehicles on the list? Because Teslas cannot be sold in the state. Only vehicles sold through Texas dealerships are on the list, and Tesla doesn’t sell its vehicles through dealerships.
Details on the program are still scarce, but Autoblog Green notes the following:
- $3.8 million is set aside for the program.
- That could support about 1,550 plug-in and natural-gas vehicle purchases per year.
- The program is scheduled to run through August 2015. (No start date is specified.)
We’ll keep you updated on the law as more details emerge. But it’s doubtful that Tesla vehicles will gain rebate qualification.
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