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Texas Electric Vehicle Rebates, Tax Credits and EV Incentives
If you’re a Texas resident considering an EV purchase, it’s important to understand how to get the best value from making the switch to electric. This page provides an overview of electric vehicle incentives and rebates across The Lone Star State and how residents can benefit from Texas’s initiatives to support electrification.
Vehicle Emissions Inspection Exemption For EVs
Beginning September 1, 2023, vehicles powered exclusively by electricity are exempt from state motor vehicle emissions inspections.
Texas Vehicle Electrification Grants
Public and charter schools can qualify for Clean School Bus grants to replace or retrofit school buses. The Texas Department of Transportation is currently distributing a portion of the $86 million the state received in NEVI funding for 2024 in the form of competitive grants to develop charging along major highways as well as in small cities and rural areas.
Additional vehicle electrification grants are available to owners of large fleets in select counties in Texas to replace diesel-powered vehicles with alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles.
For more information, including eligibility requirements, see the Texas Clean School Bus and Texas Clean Fleet program pages from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality website.
Federal Tax Credits For Electric Vehicles
Because there is no state income tax in Texas there are also no state tax credits for EVs. However, it’s important to note that car buyers may qualify for federal tax credits like the clean vehicle tax credit of up to $7,500 for new vehicles, or the used clean vehicle tax credit for up to $4,000. 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.
Texas EV Charger Rebates
In addition to the above incentives that are offered for purchasing an electric car, Texas residents can also claim rebates for purchasing and installing Level 2 EV chargers, ranging from $250 to up to $1,200, with even higher rebate amounts available for non-residential EV charging projects.
Below is a summary of EV charger rebate programs offered by utility providers in TX.
Austin Energy EV Charger Rebates
If you’re an Austin Energy customer, you can save 50% on the cost of purchasing and installing a Level 2 EV charger, for savings of up to $1,200.
Commercial customers can access additional rebates and businesses and multifamily properties can qualify for up to $3,000 in rebates for installing a Level 2 charging station and up to $5,000 for a DC Fast Charging station.
For more information, including eligibility requirements, see the Incentives page on the Austin Energy EV Buyers Guide website.
Entergy EV Charger Rebates
Entergy offers residential customers a $250 rebate for the purchase and installation of a Level 2 EV charger through their eTech program.
Commercial customers are also eligible for the $250 Level 2 rebate, with additional rebates up to $1,500 for DC Fast Charging stations.
For more information, see the Entergy eTech Electric Technology and Incentives page.
SWEPCO EV Charger Rebate
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) offers residential customers a $250 rebate for the installation of an ENERGY STAR-certified Level 2 EV charging station. Rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to funding limits.
For more information, including how to apply, see the Charging Stations page on the SWEPCO website.
United Cooperative Services EV Charger Rebate
United Cooperative Services (UCS) offers residential customers a rebate of 50% of the cost to install a Level 2 EV charging station, up to $500. Eligible customers must agree to charge EVs during off-peak hours.
For more information, including eligibility and how to apply, see the EV Charger section on UCS’s Rebate Programs page.
EV Charging Rates in Texas
Some utilities in Texas also offer special time-of-use (TOU) and off-peak electricity rates for EV drivers, designed to encourage vehicle charging during select times of the day.
Austin Energy Plug-In Everywhere Program
The Austin Energy Plug-In EVerywhere℠ network offers charging at 1,600+ Level 2 charging ports throughout their service area. Level 2 charging stations charge $0.09 per kWh, which comes to about a penny per minute. The program also features DC Fast chargers conveniently located near major transit routes in Austin, priced at $0.21 per minute.
For more information, see the EVerything Charging page.
Champion Energy Services Off-Peak EV Charging Incentive
If you get your electricity from Champion Energy Services, charging your EV between 10 P.M. and 4 A.M. will make you eligible for a lower rate.
For more information, including eligibility requirements, see the EV Saver-12 Plan page.
CPS Energy Off-Peak EV Charging Incentive
CPS Energy offers electrification incentives in the form of bill credits. You can receive a one-time $250 bill credit followed by a $5 monthly credit if you sign up for a program that remotely adjusts your charging speed during peak hours, or a one-time $125 bill credit and a $10 monthly credit if you only charge during off-peak hours.
For more information, including eligibility requirements, see the CPS Energy FlexEV page.
GEXA Energy Off-Peak Charging Incentives
Gexa SavEV 24 and Gexa SavEV 12
Besides offering clean energy, Gexa Energy will issue a bill credit of 100% for the energy you use to charge your EV between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Available in terms of 12 and 24 months, the SavEV plans seek to reduce strain on the grid by incentivizing EV owners to charge at off-peak times. All qualifying customers must pair their EV to the Gexa365 platform, on the Gexa app, to receive their monthly Nighttime EV Charging Credit.
For more information, see the GEXA Energy EV Charging page.
TXU Energy Off-Peak Charging Incentive (Free EV Miles)
TXU Energy helps customers offset the cost of charging an EV at home by offering free charging between 7 P.M. and 1 P.M. the next day. To leverage these savings, you’ll have to connect your EV to an online platform and share your telematics data, but the platform is compatible with most EV models.
For more information, see the Free EV Miles page.
Public EV Charging Stations in Texas
Access to EV charging stations in Texas remains limited to urban areas. With a total of approximately 3,400 public charging stations statewide, the current infrastructure needs to grow to support an electric future for the state.
The good news is that Texas has received $440 million in federal funding to develop a modern charging infrastructure, a crucial step in changing public perception and fostering EV adoption.
How Many Public EV Charging Stations Are in Texas?
Texas has more than 3,200 public charging stations including over 2,700 Level 2 and 507 Level 3/DC Fast stations.
There are 161 Tesla Supercharger stations and 1,861 Tesla Supercharger ports in Texas.
As mentioned above, the state also has robust at-home EV charger installation and charging incentives that can help reduce the reliance of EV drivers on public charging, provide the convenience of at-home charging, and offer greater cost savings than utilizing public EV charging stations.
How Much Do Public EV Charging Stations Cost in Texas?
It costs an average of $0.51 per kWh to charge an electric car at a public Level 3 (DCFC) charging station in Texas. Pricing varies from one charging network to another, and charging levels can also impact charging costs.
More networks in recent months have started adopting a variable pricing model, which accounts for the site location, time of day, and amount of power a station is delivering.
Are There Free Electric Car Charging Stations in Texas?
Yes, you can find free EV charging stations in Texas, but access to free public charging remains limited and shouldn’t be your primary charging strategy.
Houston is among the best places for EV ownership, with nearly 400 free charging stations. You can also find more than 300 free stations in Austin and over 200 free charging locations in Dallas.
Where Are Public Charging Stations Located for Electric Cars in Texas?
Most EV charging stations in Texas are located in or near major cities. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington and Houston-Woodlands-Sugar Land areas are the most EV-friendly cities, with over 2,000 charging stations in each metropolitan area.
Austin-Round Rock is next, with more than 1,600 charging locations, and you can find more than 800 charging options in the San Antonio-New Braunfels area.
You can expect more charging options to appear in the near future, with the Texas DOT currently focusing on developing alternative fuel corridors to connect major cities before building a more robust charging infrastructure in rural areas and small cities.
Tesla has built a Supercharger network of fast charging stations throughout the state, with locations approximately 150 miles apart along I-10 and I-35.
Visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center Map of EV Charging Station Locations in Texas, 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 Texas
In 2024, Texas is expected to offer home energy rebates funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, making $346 million for home efficiency rebates and $344 million for home electrification available for things like appliance rebates, insulation and air sealing, heat pumps for space and water heating, and upgrades to smart electrical panels necessary to enable those retrofits.
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.
In Texas, you may qualify for home electrification incentives through your electricity provider in addition to the U.S. federal government. Scroll down to read rebate and incentive details for specific home electrification technologies.
Battery Storage
Currently there are no state or utility incentives for battery storage in Texas. However, 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
As an Austin Energy customer, you can receive up to $750 for installing a qualifying heat pump.
CPS Energy offers their customers rebates up to $310 per ton for installing new heat pump systems.
Oncor customers can receive a rebate from $1,800 to $3,300 for new heat pumps, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) offers residential customers a rebate of up to $3,500 for the installation of qualifying heat pump units.
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
American Electric Power (AEP) Texas offers customer rebates from $1,500 to $3,000 for PV solar panel systems.
Austin Energy customers earn a rebate worth $2,500 by installing a solar panel system at least 3 kW in size if you complete Austin Energy’s solar education course.
New Braunfels Utilities customers can earn up to $3,000 for 3 kW and bigger PV solar systems.
The 25D Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit also provides a 30% federal tax credit on the cost of photovoltaic (PV) solar panel systems.
Recent Texas EV Charging News
Most Buc-ee’s will get charging stations for electric vehicles
Austin wants more EV charging stations. City Council will vote on where they can go
EV-friendly homes for sale: California, Texas and Washington rank for best listings
Ford, TXU Energy aim to make at-home EV charging more affordable
Why Qmerit is the #1 EV Charger Installer in Texas
With EV charger rebates and special TOU EV charging rate plans available from numerous utilities in Texas, there’s never been a better time to make the switch to electrification.
The cost savings created by adopting clean, sustainable energy are just the start of the benefits you’ll see, and by partnering with a qualified electrician who can tailor an EV charger installation to your specific needs, you can maximize these benefits even more.
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 450,000 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!