Tennessee to offer $2,500 rebate on electric cars
The first 1,000 people to buy an electric vehicle in Tennessee will get a $2,500 rebate, Gov. Phil Bredesen announced today.
That’s on top of a $7,500 tax credit offered by the federal government. Together, the two subsidies will lower the effective cost of a Nissan Leaf to $22,780, or a Chevrolet Volt to $31,000. Both cars are set to debut later this year.
The announcement came during a luncheon at the TVA Fuel Solutions Forum at the Hilton in downtown Nashville.
"We’ve worked hard in Tennessee to become a leader in driving clean energy solutions and creating clean energy jobs," Bredesen said in a news release. "We’re already seeing additional jobs being created as a result of those efforts, and our participation in the electric vehicle project is another indication that Tennessee is leading the way to the future of clean energy and alternative fuels."
The Nissan Leaf could become an economic driver for Middle Tennessee. Though the car will initially be imported from Japan, Leaf production is scheduled to begin in Smyrna in 2012. Nissan North America is also building a manufacturing facility in Smyrna for the lithium-ion batteries that will power the Leaf and could power future electric vehicles. The battery plant and assembly line are expected to eventually employ 1,300.
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