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South Carolina EV Incentives, Tax Credits, and Rebates
From rebates to reduced charging rates, South Carolina is paving the way for a more energy-efficient transportation landscape for both individuals and businesses. In this guide, we explore South Carolina’s EV incentives, tax credits, and rebates, highlighting how these initiatives can help residents make the switch to sustainable transportation.
South Carolina EV Tax Credits
South Carolina does not have a state-wide EV tax credit, but residents may qualify for federal EV tax credits like the $7,500 clean vehicle tax credit for new vehicles, or the $4,000 used clean vehicle tax credit. Income restrictions as well as battery component and critical mineral restrictions may apply. Be sure to speak to a qualified CPA or tax professional to check your eligibility.
Additionally, the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit provides a federal tax credit up to $1,000 to offset costs related to installing an EV charger at home. Businesses can claim EV charger tax credits worth up to $100,000.
South Carolina EV Charger Rebates
Charging your EV at home is both affordable and convenient. To achieve the best charging speed with your residential electrical infrastructure, it is essential to install a Level 2 EV charger with the help of a qualified EV charger installation professional.
Five utility providers in South Carolina offer EV charger rebate programs, with average an rebate amount of $250 dollars:
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative EV Charger Rebate
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative offers a $500 rebate to customers with proof of charger purchase and vehicle ownership who install a Level 2 EV charger at their home.
Duke Energy EV Charger Rebate
Duke Energy offers a one-time credit up to $1,236 per charger to help cover the costs of preparing your home for an electric vehicle charger.
Learn more about the Duke Energy EV Charger Rebate on the Qmerit Blog.
Greer Commission of Public Works (CPW) EV Charger Rebate
Greer CPW provides a $250 rebate to residential customers who install a Level 2 home charger. To qualify, customers must own or lease a fully electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and install the charger at their residence. This program is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Santee Cooper EV Charger Rebate
Santee Cooper provides a rebate of up to $250 for residential customers who purchased and installed a qualified Level 2 EV charger between December 1, 2023, and November 30, 2024. To qualify, customers must provide proof of purchase, a photo of the installed charger, and a copy of their electric vehicle registration matching the installation address.
Participants must also be on an eligible residential rate and agree to share charging data for at least five years. The rebate is limited to two per customer and cannot exceed the charger cost. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
York Electric Cooperative EV Charger Rebate
York Electric Cooperative offers a $200 rebate to members who install a Level 2 EV charger at their residence. To qualify, the charger must be installed within YEC’s service territory, and members must enroll in YEC’s time-of-use (TOU) rate program.
EV Charging Rates in South Carolina
To further help EV owners reduce charging costs by encouraging off-peak charging, utilities in South Carolina offer time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates designed to lower the cost of charging EVs.
These TOU plans incentivize vehicle charging during off-peak hours, making EV ownership more affordable.
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative offers an EmPOWERment Rate designed to encourage energy use during off-peak hours.
The plan includes a daily account charge of $1.10, an energy charge of $0.10 per kWh, and a peak charge of $13 per kW based on the highest single hour of energy use during peak hours.
Peak hours are from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in summer (April through October) and from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. in winter (November through March). All other times, including weekends and holidays, are off-peak. Members can lower their overall electricity costs by shifting energy use to off-peak times.
Dominion Energy (formerly SCE&G)
Dominion Energy South Carolina offers a TOU rate plan with different pricing depending on the season and time of day.
During the summer months (May to September), on-peak hours are from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at a rate of $0.26 per kWh, while off-peak hours are from 9 p.m. to 1 p.m. at a rate of $0.13 per kWh. Super off-peak hours are between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. at $0.08 per kWh.
In the winter months (October to April), on-peak hours are from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at $0.26 per kWh, with off-peak hours and super off-peak hours following similar pricing structures.
Duke Energy Carolinas
Duke Energy Carolinas offers a TOU plan with on-peak rates of approximately $0.21 per kWh and off-peak rates of about $0.10 per kWh.
On-peak hours are weekdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (May through September), while off-peak hours include all other times, weekends, and holidays.
Santee Cooper
Santee Cooper offers a Residential Experimental Electric Vehicle Power Schedule (REV-22) with three tiers of rates.
On-peak rates are $0.25 per kWh, applied Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Off-peak rates are $0.09 per kWh for all other times, while super off-peak rates, the lowest-cost period, are $0.04 per kWh and apply daily from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
York Electric Cooperative
York Electric Cooperative’s TOU plug-in electric vehicle rate (Rate Code 6) offers experimental rates for residential members with separately metered Level 1 or Level 2 EV charging equipment.
Participants pay a daily service charge of $0.21, with energy usage billed at $0.16 per kWh during on-peak hours and $0.04 per kWh during off-peak hours. Off-peak hours are from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM daily, while all other hours are considered on-peak. The program is voluntary and limited to the first 100 members.
Public EV Charging Stations in South Carolina
South Carolina has significantly expanded its public EV charging infrastructure to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles.
Major cities such as Charleston and Greenville offer numerous charging options. For instance, Charleston has 8 publicly available charging stations located in city parking garages, with charging at no cost to users, though a fee applies for garage entry.
Key highways such as I-26 and I-95 are also equipped with charging stations, facilitating long-distance travel. These stations are strategically placed to ensure drivers have easy access to charging, whether they’re in urban areas, traveling, or visiting local attractions.
How Many Public EV Charging Stations Are in South Carolina?
As of April 2025, South Carolina has over 650 public charging stations including 510 Level 2 and 150 DC Fast stations. There are 1,750 public EV charging ports, 33 Tesla Supercharger stations and 375 Tesla Supercharger ports in South Carolina.
How Much Do Public EV Charging Stations Cost in South Carolina?
The cost of public EV charging varies depending on the networks you use, the location, the time of day, and various other factors.
Public charging rates in South Carolina vary depending on the provider and charging speed, with Level 2 EV charging stations averaging $0.10-$0.20 per kWh and DC Fast Chargers ranging from $0.30-$0.50 per kWh.
Be sure to read our article discussing the Cost of Charging an EV at Home vs. Public Charging.
Are There Free EV Charging Stations in South Carolina?
Yes, South Carolina offers free EV charging stations across the state in several key locations with an emphasis on more urban and heavily trafficked areas, enhancing accessibility for EV owners. Although standard parking fees apply, Charleston provides free EV charging in several municipal parking garages.
In Charleston, there are 8 public EV charging stations. Charging your electric vehicle is free; however, using these stations will require a garage entry fee.
Additionally, there are numerous private charging stations throughout the city, such as at hotels and commercial enterprises.
Where Are Public EV Charging Stations Located in South Carolina?
Public charging stations for electric cars in South Carolina are conveniently located in major cities and along key highways.
Notable locations include Tesla Superchargers in Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Spartanburg, Florence, and Dillon, with up to 40 Superchargers at the Dillon site alone.
Visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center Map of EV Charging Station Locations in South Carolina, which can be sorted and filtered based on public access, charger type (Level 1, Level 2, DC Fast), and connector type (NACS, J1772, CCS, CHAdeMO).
Home Electrification Incentives in South Carolina
Combining EV ownership with other electrification projects, such as upgrading your home with solar panels & battery storage, or investing in a heat pump, will help you save even more while reducing your environmental impact.
You may qualify for home electrification incentives through your local electricity provider in addition to the U.S. federal government. Scroll down to read tax credit and incentive details for specific home electrification technologies.
Battery Storage
The 25D Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit provides a 30% federal tax credit on the cost of new battery storage systems size 3kWh and larger.
Electrical Panels
The 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit provides a federal tax credit for electrical panel upgrades needed to complete electrification projects like heat pumps and heat pump water heaters (up to 30% of project costs, capped at $600). The 25C tax credit can be used by renters, and homeowners making upgrades to their primary or secondary home.
Qualifying electrical panels must meet the standards of the National Electric Code (NEC) and have a capacity of 200 Amps or more. This means that your new/upgraded panel must be able to serve a load of at least 200 Amps, but you don’t need 200 Amps of incoming utility service. Smart panels may qualify if they allow you to serve a load of 200 Amps.
If you’re claiming 25D for a residential solar or battery storage project and the installation required you to upgrade your main panel, you may be able to apply 25D to electrical panel costs as well.
Heat Pumps & Heat Pump Water Heaters
The 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit also applies to heat pumps and heat pump water heaters. A 30% federal tax credit is available (capped at $2,000 dollars). Eligible technologies must meet certain energy efficiency requirements.
Solar Panels
The 25D Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit also provides a 30% federal tax credit on the cost of photovoltaic (PV) solar panel systems.
Why Qmerit is the #1 EV Charger Installer in South Carolina
With several South Carolina utilities offering generous time-of-use rates for EV charging and rebates on EV chargers, alongside the rapidly growing rate of EV adoption, there’s never been a better time to make the switch to electrification.
If you’re interested in exploring your at-home EV charging options or interested in taking advantage of commercial EV charging benefits to install chargers at your business, Qmerit can help.
As North America’s most trusted and largest network of certified EV charger installers, Qmerit is recommended by automakers, EV charger manufacturers, utilities, businesses, and homeowners alike. Rated #1 in customer satisfaction, our expert network has installed over 770,000 EV charging stations across the U.S. and Canada.
Discover how Qmerit is paving the way forward for residential EV charger installation and whole-home electrification solutions. Contact us today to find out how easy home electrification can be!