New Incentive to Promote Electric Vehicles in Minnesota 

Starting November 1, 2019, residents who purchase or lease a new or used EV will receive a one-time credit of up to $250 for MnPASS, allowing them to drive in the express lane when traffic is heavy. 

The three-year pilot program is aimed at people who may be on the fence about choosing an EV or a plug-in hybrid as their next car and gives them yet another reason to make the switch to cleaner transportation. 

This incentive is in response to public input from across Minnesota about how the state could curb emissions from the transportation sector. The input helped the Minnesota Department of Transportation develop its Pathways to Decarbonizing Transportation in Minnesota report, which was released less than two months ago and shows routes to a lower-carbon future for the state’s largest greenhouse gas emitting sector. The Great Plains Institute, which oversees Drive Electric Minnesota, facilitated the stakeholder and public engagement meetings and webinars across the state over the summer. Through that process, several themes emerged, including:   

• A recognition of the climate crisis and a need for swift action 
• The need for more transportation options 
• Environmental justice and equity to be at the center of climate action 
• Integration of transportation solutions with energy creation, land use choices, and state/local policy 

Following the release of the report, Governor Tim Walz also announced Clean Car Standards in Minnesota that aim to “combat climate change, protect public health, increase consumer choice, create jobs, and save consumers money at the pump.” 

You can read more about the MnPASS Incentive, Clean Cars Standard, and the Pathways to Decarbonizing Transportation in Minnesota report by following the links.  

Drive Electric Minnesota has advocated for EV incentives for a long time at the capitol and is encouraged by the actions that MnDOT has taken to reward consumers for purchasing or leasing EVs.  

We look forward to working across Minnesota and the region to support EV adoption and infrastructure which benefit the state’s consumers, communities, businesses, and environment. 

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This blog originally appeared on the Great Plains Institute’s (GPI’s) website. GPI facilitates Drive Electric Minnesota.