EV Level 2 Program
Program Background
Q: What is CMLP’s EV Level 2 Program?
A: CMLP’s EV Level 2 Program offers electric vehicle (EV) owners a rebate of $250 to help offset the cost of installing some or all components of a Level 2 system for higher speed charging of an electric vehicle at your home. A Level 2 charging system consists of a 240 volt wiring circuit from your house electrical panel to a NEMA 14-50 or similar outlet, or to a home EV charging station.
Q: Why would I want a Level 2 system to charge my car?
A: A Level 2 charging system allows you to fully charge your car overnight from empty, so that your EV’s full range is available each day.
Contrast this with Level 1 charging, in which your vehicle is plugged into a standard household 120 volt wall outlet. This option, known as "trickle charging," is very slow and may take up to 15 hours to fully charge your vehicle. It works best for plug-in hybrids with small batteries, or people who do not drive much each day.
Installing a new NEMA 14-50 or similar outlet and/or Level 2 charging station may also avoid potential fire hazards associated with plugging an EV into an older, worn out 120V electrical outlet in the garage that may no longer be able to safely deliver power for its maximum rated load over many hours. Have an electrician check the condition of an older 120V outlet before using it for EV charging.
Q: Why might I want to include a charging station in my home charging system?
A: Wall-mounted home charging stations can offer components ranging from standard safety features and status lights to features such as enhanced displays, smartphone connections, and keypads. Some home charging stations must be hard-wired to the 240 volt circuit. Others can be plugged into a NEMA 14-50 or similar outlet.
While not required to receive a rebate from CMLP, you may wish to consider ENERGY STAR-certified charging stations, which use 40% less energy in standby mode, and are safety certified. Learn more here .
Q: How much does it cost to have a Level 2 charging system installed?
A: The cost to install a 240V wiring circuit, NEMA 14-50 or similar outlet and/or charging station can range from hundreds to several thousand dollars, based on the location of the house panel, the location of the charging outlet or charging station, and the cost of the charging station itself, if included in the installation.
Q: How can I find an electrician with experience installing Level 2 charging systems?
A: The companies below have installed Level 2 charging systems in Concord. CMLP does not endorse or pre-qualify these companies in any way. CMLP accepts no liability for work conducted by any contractor. You do not need to use an installer on this list to receive a rebate from CMLP. You can also use a Level 2 installer finder service to find an electrician with experience installing these systems.
Q: Why does CMLP offer rebates for Level 2 charging systems?
A: By offsetting part of the up-front cost that EV owners incur to install a Level 2 charging system, CMLP’s Level 2 rebate helps make charging safer and more convenient for our customers.
Faster, safer EV charging is just one of the benefits that our customers enjoy when they purchase an EV and install a Level 2 charging system. Plug-in electric cars save our customers 50% or more on fuel compared to gasoline. And, transitioning from fossil fuel-fired cars to vehicles that can be powered with carbon-free electricity is a key part of Concord’s strategy to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. Every mile driven on electricity in New England emits 70% less greenhouse gas than a mile driven on gasoline. When Concord has 100% carbon-free electricity in a couple of years, driving electric will be 100% emissions-free.
Faster charging also enables our customers to limit charging to off-peak hours: 10 PM to 12 noon, Monday through Friday and all weekend. This helps reduce peak demand charges incurred by CMLP, keeping all customers’ bills lower. CMLP plans to offer additional incentives through our EV Miles Program to customers who charge their EVs off-peak. See our FAQ below: “Once I have a charging system installed, how can I save money on charging my EV?” for more information.
What Expenditures are Eligible for a Rebate?
Q: What expenses will the rebate cover?
A: The rebate may be used to pay for a licensed electrician’s services and electrical and charging equipment/materials, in order to install one or more of the following charging system components: (1) a 240 volt wiring circuit with a 50 amp circuit breaker, (2) a NEMA 14-50 240V or similar outlet, (3) a Level 2 home charging station. The rebate provided will be $250 or the amount of documented, eligible charging system expenditures, whichever is less.
Q: I already have a 240 volt circuit and a NEMA 14-50 or similar outlet in good condition. May I apply for a rebate to offset the cost of purchasing and installing a Level 2 home charging station?
A: Yes.
Q: How recent do expenditures need to be?
A: You may submit a rebate application up to 1 year after the latest invoice or receipt date.
Who’s Eligible?
Q: Who is eligible to receive a rebate?
A: You are eligible to receive a rebate if you:
- own a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that runs exclusively on electricity, or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that runs on electricity but can also switch to gas/electric hybrid mode, and
- provide documentation, as outlined below, that you had some or all components of a Level 2 charging system installed at your home or at your parking space on a multi-dwelling unit property for the purpose of charging an electric vehicle.
Q: Are there any other requirements that my Level 2 charging system installation must meet in order to be eligible for a rebate?
A: Any electrical work needed to install the charging system must be done by a licensed electrician under an electrical permit issued by the Town of Concord, and must have passed inspection by the Town’s Electrical Inspector.
Q: May I receive more than one rebate if I install more than one charging system?
A: You may receive more than one rebate if you install more than one Level 2 charging system, up to the number of EVs that you own and garage in Concord.
How Do I Apply?
Q: How do I apply for the EV Level 2 Program rebate?
A: Complete the online EV Level 2 application form, upload invoices and/or receipts for your charging system installation expenses and a scan (no photos, please) of your electric vehicle registration, and submit as directed on the application within 1 year of the latest invoice or receipt date.
Q: How will I receive my rebate?
A: The rebate will be issued as a credit on your electric bill. If the rebate amount covers more than the bill to which it is applied, it will roll over to subsequent months until the rebate funds are fully used.
Q: May I have my Level 2 charging system installed before I purchase my EV?
A: Yes, CMLP encourages you to have your charging system ready to go before you drive your new EV home for the first time! Save the invoices and/or receipts for your charging system installation expenses. Once you have your new EV, scan the vehicle registration, and submit it with the application and invoices/receipts, within 1 year of the latest invoice or receipt date.
Federal Tax Incentives
In addition to CMLP's EV Level 2 Rebate, taxpayers qualify for a 30% federal tax credit on costs associated with the installation of an EV charging station, up to $1,000. Learn More >
Charging Up for Less
Q: Once I have a charging system installed, how can I save money on charging my EV?
A: Sign up to be notified when CMLP’s EV Miles Program begins. The EV Miles Program offers EV owners electric bill credits equaling up to 2,200 miles of charging each year when charging at home is done exclusively during off-peak hours: 10 PM to 12 noon, Monday through Friday and all weekend.
EV Miles participants send CMLP a photo of their car’s timer display, programmed to charge only during off peak hours. Set it and forget it! CMLP monitors electricity usage data to verify that charging is done off-peak. EV owners with solar panels can take advantage of solar electricity production to help charge their vehicles until 12 noon on weekdays and all day on weekends. By charging your EV during off-peak hours, not only do you get credits on your bill each month, you also help reduce peak demand charges incurred by CMLP, keeping all customers’ bills lower.
Whether or not you choose to enroll in the EV Miles Program, we hope you will join our efforts to help reduce the Town’s summer electrical peak and the cost of electricity to all Concordians. Thirty percent of your electric bill is directly related to the amount of electricity Concord uses for just one hour during the entire year. That one hour, the peak demand hour, occurs on a hot weekday afternoon during the summer months, typically between the hours of 12PM – 6PM.
CMLP will enroll all Level 2 rebate recipients in our peak demand reduction Google group, which will allow us to send you an email when peak demand is predicted – typically on several hot weekday afternoons or early evenings in from June 1st through September 15th each year. When you refrain from charging your EV during peak hours, everyone benefits with lower electric rates, since there are higher costs associated with these peaker power plants.
More Questions?
Q: Who can I contact if I have more questions about CMLP’s EV Level 2 Program or EV Miles Program?
A: Contact Laura Scott at LScott@concordma.gov or 978-318-3102.
Q: Is there anything else I need to know about charging my EV at home?
A: Learn more about how to charge smart in Concord here.
For answers to many other frequently asked questions about buying and driving an EV, visit Concord’s Drive Electric web page.