Applications open for electric car charger grants

Businesses and public agencies can receive up to $6,000 per electric vehicle charger through the new Charge Up! grants program, the Valley Air District announced this week.

“We’re pleased to offer what Valley businesses, agencies and the public have asked for: Convenient access to charging devices for the growing population of electric vehicles,” Sheraz Gill, the district’s grants director, said Tuesday.

According to a news release, Charge Up! awards up to $5,000 for a single-port charger and up to $6,000 for a two-port charger that will be available for public use.

There is an annual funding cap of $50,000 per applicant, and grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out. The first round of funding is $2 million.

Qualifying projects not selected for initial funding will be placed on hold pending additional funding, the district said.

The district’s new program follows its existing Drive Clean! clean-air vehicle rebate program, which offers up to $3,000 for the purchase of a qualifying electric, hydrogen fuel cell or plug-in electric hybrid vehicle.

Charge Up! is not a rebate program. Contracts must be in place before chargers are purchased and installed.

Qualifications and charger requirements can be found at www.valleyair.org/ChargeUp.

Applications can be submitted online or in person. For more information and application materials, visit www.valleyair.org/ChargeUp

This story was originally published June 3, 2015 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Applications open for electric car charger grants."