A grant from the Federal Transit Administration will help Connecticut buy 10 electric battery-powered buses and chargers for the Waterbury division of CTtransit, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday.
Officials with the Department of Transportation said they plan to pair the $7.4 million federal grant with $5.7 million in state funding to prepare the CTtransit depot in Waterbury for the eventual electrification of its entire fleet of buses and vans, which amounts to nearly 100 vehicles.
Waterbury’s bus station would be the first in the state capable of running a 100% electric battery-powered bus transit system.
“We are moving forward to a new normal where we help improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fight climate change, and advance environmental justice through the transportation sector,” said Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. “This project is the first of its kind in Connecticut to prepare an entire transit and paratransit depot fully for electrification, and a major step forward in our push to become the first state with a fully electric bus transit fleet.”
Lamont’s administration has set a goal of electrifying all of CTtransit’s buses by 2035.
The governor also announced Monday that the state’s consumer rebate program for electric vehicles will offer new incentives, with the goal of expanding access to electric-powered cars.
The Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Program provides a discount for any Connecticut resident who purchases or leases a qualifying electric vehicle costing up to $42,000. For new models, the rebate levels have increased from $1,500 to $2,250 for battery electric vehicles, from $500 to $750 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and from $5,000 to $7,500 for fuel cell electric vehicles.
The state is also offering temporary discounts through the Rebate+ New and Rebate+ Used initiatives, which could save buyers thousands of dollars more on top of the CHEAPR program.
Under the Rebate+ New plan, eligible buyers or lessees would receive an additional $2,000 for a new battery electric vehicle, $1,500 for a new plug-in hybrid and $2,000 for a new fuel cell electric vehicle. Under Rebate+ Used, purchasers or lessees would receive $3,000 for a used battery electric vehicle, $1,125 for a used plug-in hybrid and $7,500 for a used fuel cell electric vehicle.
Incentives offered through the Rebate+ New and Rebate+ Used programs will be offered as long as funding remains available, or until Dec. 31 of this year, state officials said.
