New $50 Million WA EV Leasing-Sale Plan Will Reduce Emissions 0.02 Percent

According to information from WA State officials, the state's new $50 million electric vehicle leasing and sale program aimed at lower-income individuals will not accomplish large climate goals.

  State's new program rolled out recently

According to The Center Square,  at a recent Washington State Transportation Commission, officials said the lease-sale plan would subsidize the leasing of anywhere from 1,750 to 3,500 EV's and the sale of 3,400 to 7,000. The numbers range this way due to the varying prices of vehicles. According to The Center Square:

 "The program would have the buyer immediately receive a discount upon purchase, while the EV dealer would be reimbursed by a contractor, who would then be reimbursed by the Department of Commerce."

However, state officials told the Commission this program "will not move the needle significantly" when it comes to actual climate emissions. Instead, it's designed to push forward EV's by allegedly making them more affordable and available.

Get our free mobile app

Commerce  says based on 2019 data (the most recent available) the transportation sector (vehicles in WA roads) emitted 40.3 million metric tons of carbon. This $50 million dollar plan would reduce those emissions by 0.06 percent. The Center Square says if applied to the 2019 data, that would actually be 0.02 percent. This figure is nearly negligible.