Maryland EV Tax Credit Status as of June, 2020

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Funding Depleted – But File an Application Anyway

New:
2021 Maryland Legislation Includes EV Tax Credit Bill
Click Here for More Info

Maryland EV Tax Credit Tesla Dealer

Don’t count on the $3,000 Maryland EV tax credit if you buy an electric car right now. Funding for the program is exhausted and no further funding is currently authorized. However, you should still submit the form to reserve your place in line in case funding is approved in the future.

Go to the MVA website for the current status of the Maryland EV Tax Credit program and do your due diligence before making a purchase.

The Clean Cars Act of 2017, signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan, authorized an excise tax credit on plug-in electric cars for three years, from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020.

Funds for the Maryland excise tax credit usually run out early each fiscal year. Applicants are then put on a wait list until the next round of funding is released. Filling the backlog means that each year’s funding runs out sooner than the last.

In September, 2016 the money ran out barely two months into fiscal year 2017. The Maryland MVA sent out a bulletin advising auto dealers to alert customers that funds were depleted and the program had ended.

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Montgomery County to Permit Home EV Charging Stations on Public Right of Way

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Montgomery County Maryland EV Charging Permitting

New Policy Expands Options for Residential Charging

Guidelines developed by Montgomery County, Maryland will allow for privately owned EV charging stations to be installed in the public right of way adjacent to County streets. Residents of homes that qualify will be able to charge while parked on the curb using electricity from their home meter.

The curbside charging program is available to residents of single family homes or duplexes. Permits will be considered when a home doesn’t have a driveway and off-street parking cannot be built on the home’s property.

This is welcome news for many Montgomery County homeowners who’ve been wanting to buy an electric vehicle but only have curbside parking at home.

The Residential EV Charging Permit Guidelines were developed by the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) and the Department of Transportation (MCDOT).

“We have installed electric vehicle charging stations in many of our parking garages, purchased electric and alternative fueled buses, implemented bike- and e-scooter sharing and many other measures to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “These new EV charging guidelines are the logical next step to encourage a shift to lower emission vehicles and ensure that charging on our public streets is done safely. The result is easy to understand and implement right now, but also allows us to adapt as technology advances.”

Process to Apply for a Curbside EV Charging Station

The Guidelines present five steps and three permitting options which will be guided by the initial determination by DPS.

Step 1: Initial Inquiry

Submit a letter of interest with a site plan.

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Falls Church, VA Supercharger Coming to Idylwood Plaza

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On Route 7 and Pimmet Drive Near I-66

Tesla is building a V3 Supercharger at Idylwood Plaza at 7501 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA. It is located on Route 7 just inside the Beltway close to I-66. Map link.

Idylwood Plaza has a Whole Foods, Starbucks, Jason’s Deli, Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Burger 7, Noodles & Company, and Tara Thai.

Falls Church, VA is among a number of Tesla Superchargers that are under construction in the Washington, DC area in the spring of 2020.

Falls Church, VA Supercharger to Have Eight Stalls up to 250 kW Max

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Maryland Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council Releases 2019 Annual Report

Lanny

After Five Month Delay

This week, the Maryland Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council (ZEEVIC) released their 2019 Annual Report that was due last December.

Under the Maryland Clean Cars Act, the body is required to submit an annual report of the Council’s work and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1st. This would give the Governor and legislature a month to study the information and prepare important EV related bills for the lawmaking session which begins each January.

Formed as The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council (EVIC) in 2011

The Council was created by legislation introduced by Governor O’Malley in 2011 to coordinate integration of electric vehicles into Maryland communities and transportation system. It was originally called the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council (EVIC). EVIC included representatives of automobile manufacturers, dealers, charging equipment manufacturers, utility companies, electrical workers, state and local governments, energy and environmental experts.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Added to Become ZEEVIC

In 2019, legislation sponsored by Governor Hogan added representatives of the hydrogen fuel industry and the name was changed to the Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council (ZEEVIC). The 2019 ZEEVIC Report cover features a photo of Gov. Hogan and administration officials at a demo of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in front of the state capitol in Annapolis.

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BGE Fast Chargers at Glenwood Library in Howard County

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Glenwood Branch

A BGE EVsmart public charging site is coming to the Glenwood Branch of the Howard County Library System and Gary J. Arthur Community Center. The utility owned and operated charging stations are installed, but not yet operational as of May 20, 2020. UPDATE: Chargers operational as of June 25, 2020 There are two DC Fast Chargers and six Level 2 ports in the north east corner of the main parking lot. [map link]

Liquid-Cooled Fast Chargers

The two 50 kW fast chargers are liquid-cooled Tritium Veefil TRI93-50-01-US models. This is a departure from the Efacec QC45 quick chargers used in earlier BGE installations such as Westminster and Ellicott City. Having multiple fast chargers at the Glenwood site should help bolster EV drivers’ confidence because they will know that if one fast charger is occupied or inoperable, they have an alternative fast charger to try.

Usage Fees Paid via Greenlots

The BGE fast chargers have a fee of $0.34 per kWh. The Level 2 charging costs $0.18 per kWh. Those fees are subject to change with the approval of the Maryland Public Service Commission which regulates the utilities. Payment is via a Greenlots account.

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Maryland Plug-In Vehicle Adoption by County

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Plug-In Vehicles per 100,000 Residents as of April, 2020

Maryland now has over 25,000 plug-in electric vehicles registered in the state according to the latest data from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.

About 9,000 of those EVs are registered in Montgomery County alone. With a population of over one million residents, it makes sense that Montgomery has the greatest number of plug-in vehicles of all Maryland counties.

But how do Maryland counties stack up based on the number of electric vehicles registered in proportion to their population?

Howard And Montgomery Have Greatest EV Adoption Per Capita

Howard County has the greatest number of plug-in vehicles per 100,000 residents at 925. Montgomery is a close second with 874.

Frederick and Anne Arundel counties are third and fourth with 521 and 454 EVs per 100,000 people respectively.

Talbot County, home of Easton and St. Michaels on the Eastern Shore, has the fifth highest per capita with 150 plug-ins registered with an estimated population of 37,181.

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DC Area Superchargers Under Construction as of April, 2020

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Red = Open Superchargers, Yellow = Under Construction as of April, 2020

New Tesla Superchargers Coming Soon to the Washington, DC Area

Tesla has been busy adding more Superchargers around the greater Washington, DC area. Last month, the first Supercharger inside the District of Columbia opened in the garage of a Safeway store on Wisconsin Ave, NW. A second Tesla Supercharger in the District is currently under construction in the Fort Lincoln area of NW. Tesla apparently still has crews working at Supercharger construction sites where proper personal distancing can be practiced.

Listed below are the sites that have begun construction the Washington, DC area including the western suburbs in Virginia and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UPDATE, May 28, 2020: added White Marsh, MD & Falls Church, VA. July 16, 2020: Chantilly and Vienna are open.

  • Washington, DC – NE 12 stalls, 250 kW at Shops at Dakota Crossing
  • Baltimore, MD – Canton 12 stalls, 250 kW at Harris Teeter
  • Falls Church, VA 8 stalls, 250 kW at Idylwood Plaza
  • Chantilly, VA 8 stalls, 250 kW at Royal Farms (open)
  • Vienna, VA 8 stalls, 250 kW at Wawa (open)
  • Reston, VA 8 stalls, 250 kW at Reston Station (open)
  • White Marsh, MD 8 stalls, 250 kW at Royal Farms (open)
  • Easton, MD 8 stalls, 250 kW at Royal Farms (open)
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EV Legislative Update, March 15, 2020

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PlugInSites Maryland State House

Maryland Legislature to Adjourn Early

The leaders of the Maryland General Assembly announced today that the 2020 session will adjourn on Wednesday March 18th due to the coronavirus outbreak. The 90-day session was scheduled to run through April 6th. This will be the first time since the Civil War that the Maryland lawmaking session has closed early.

EV Related Bills in Limbo

With the abbreviated session and the lawmakers focusing on emergency legislation related to the COVID-19 crisis and getting the budget passed, legislation related to electric vehicle issues will be strained. The House and Senate were in session over the weekend and two bills that we are tracking made some movement.

Electric Buses

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The Hawthorn Center in Hickory Ridge, Columbia, MD

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Hawthorn Center EV Charging
SemaConnect EV Charging Station

Columbia Association installed a Level 2 charging station at The Hawthorn Center in Hickory Ridge. The SemaConnect ChargePro station is located by the pool entrance near the south west side of the building. The Hawthorn Center is at 6175 Sunny Spring, Columbia, MD 21044. MAP

This is the seventh site and ninth charging port installed by the Columbia Association. The other locations are at Owen Brown Community Center, Columbia Gym, Supreme Sports Club, Athletic Club (2), Long Reach Tennis Club (2) and The Other Barn in Oakland Mills.

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Anti-ICEing Laws – Do They Really Work?

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ICEing EC

Three Citations in Five Years

Howard County, Maryland passed one of the earliest anti-ICEing laws in July, 2014. The ordinance is designed to keep Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars from blocking electric vehicle charging stations. In the five years since it was enacted, only three citations have been given according to the Howard County Police Department. One ticket each in the years 2014, 2017 and 2019.

Signage an Issue

Many anti-ICEing laws require an official sign to be posted in order to be enforced on private or public property. In Howard County, the sign must be at least 12 inches by 18 inches and meet government standards.

HoCoMD Anti-ICEing Laws Charging Station
Sign at Howard County Library EV charging spot is not enforceable under Police guidelines.

A sign that designates a space under this subsection must meet be at least 12 inches by 18 inches and meet any applicable State or Federal standards for parking control signs.

Howard Co. MD Sec. 21.207c3 Parking restrictions – Plug-in vehicle recharging stations

One Sign Considered Enforceable

The Howard County Police Department created a Training Bulletin to provide guidance to officers when responding to calls of non-electric vehicles parked in EV charging spaces.

Some of the key points listed in the bulletin are:

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