SDG&E estimates that in the first year, there will be a reduction of 2,517 metric tons of carbon dioxide. SDG&E further estimates that there will be a lifetime net reduction in carbon dioxide of 41,346 metric tons based on their goal of 1,500 additional EVs being purchased as a result of the program. SDG&E requests $1.790 million in expense for Dealership Incentives. Alignment with Statutory and Regulatory Goals With modifications, we approve SDG&E’s Dealership Incentives project as we believe it will encourage widespread TE and help meet California’s GHG emissions reductions goals. Some parties took issue with SDG&E’s use of ratepayer funds to pay dealerships and their salespeople incentives to sell EVs. TURN contends that SDG&E’s Dealership Incentives are inconsistent with the goal and statutory requirements of SB 350. TURN contends that this is a questionable use of ratepayer funds because it is not directly related to SDG&E’s normal business operations, such incentives amount to sales commission bonuses subsidized with ratepayer funds, and the cash incentive is not a long term scalable solution to encourage widespread TE. Instead of using ratepayer funds to incent dealerships to sell EVs, TURN contends that this issue is better addressed through government mandates regarding the sales of EVs such as tax breaks. TURN also recommends “that the $250 incentives for dealership and salespeople be replaced by $50 incentives to EV purchasers or lessees and the salesperson if the purchaser or lessee signs up for an EV Time of Use (TOU) rate within one week of purchasing or leasing an EV. While we understand TURN’s concerns that this project is outside of scope of activities that utilities have thus far participated in regarding TE adoption, we believe that SDG&E’s proposal does have some merit to better understand
SDG&E estimates that in the first year, there will be a reduction of 2,517 metric tons of carbon dioxide. SDG&E further estimates that there will be a lifetime net reduction in carbon dioxide of 41,346 metric tons based on their goal of 1,500 additional EVs being purchased as a result of the program. SDG&E requests $1.790 million in expense for Dealership Incentives. Alignment with Statutory and Regulatory Goals With modifications, we approve SDG&E’s Dealership Incentives project as we believe it will encourage widespread TE and help meet California’s GHG emissions reductions goals. Some parties took issue with SDG&E’s use of ratepayer funds to pay dealerships and their salespeople incentives to sell EVs. TURN contends that SDG&E’s Dealership Incentives are inconsistent with the goal and statutory requirements of SB 350. TURN contends that this is a questionable use of ratepayer funds because it is not directly related to SDG&E’s normal business operations, such incentives amount to sales commission bonuses subsidized with ratepayer funds, and the cash incentive is not a long term scalable solution to encourage widespread TE. Instead of using ratepayer funds to incent dealerships to sell EVs, TURN contends that this issue is better addressed through government mandates regarding the sales of EVs such as tax breaks. TURN also recommends “that the $250 incentives for dealership and salespeople be replaced by $50 incentives to EV purchasers or lessees and the salesperson if the purchaser or lessee signs up for an EV Time of Use (TOU) rate within one week of purchasing or leasing an EV. While we understand TURN’s concerns that this project is outside of scope of activities that utilities have thus far participated in regarding TE adoption, we believe that SDG&E’s proposal does have some merit to better understand