EV Chargers
When discussing EV chargers, Burlington Electric Department offers two separate incentives:
- A rebate on the EV charger hardware itself (this page)
- A special reduced EV rate on the electricity used to run the charger
This page is all about the first incentive, the rebate on the EV charger hardware. You can learn about our special reduced EV rate on its own page.
Single-Family Homeowners
Rebate: Up to $900
We now offer a rebate of up to $900 for an EV charger. The amount of your rebate is determined by the EV you purchased that will be using this charger. Please read the Terms & Conditions for more details.
Residential EV Charger
Rebate Amount:
- $900 when purchased with a new or pre-owned all-electric vehicle
- $700 when purchased with a new or pre-owned plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
Rebate will be processed after we receive an automated notification that your station is enrolled in our EV Rate.
After your new charger is installed and you have enrolled in the special Residential EV Rate you will save up to 45% on charging your EV.
- Savings apply only to EV charging costs.
- Charging must be done between 10pm and 12pm the following day.
- Savings will be applied as a 7.6¢/kwh credit on your bill.
Have the following items ready:
- Your Burlington Electric Department account number. It is printed on your monthly bill.
- Photos or scans of your receipts for the charger and charger installation.
Terms & Conditions
- Charger can be purchased prior to purchase of EV but no later than 60 days after EV purchase. In either case, charger rebate will not be processed until after you have enrolled in our EV rate.
- Charger must be a qualifying EV charger. Visit our EV Rate page for a list of products.
- Total rebate amount (including contractor rebate, this online rebate, and low-income bonus rebate) is limited to 75% of installed cost.
- This rebate is only for BED customers with active accounts.
- Vehicle must be registered in Burlington, Vermont.
- Contractors are required to secure the necessary permits from Burlington’s Permitting and Inspections Department.
- Limit one rebate per household or business.
- BED reserves the right to modify or end this offer at any time.
- This offer is valid through December 31, 2024.
- Burlington Electric Department reserves the right to inspect installation and/or verify purchase.
- Burlington Electric Department reserves the right to modify or end this offer at any time.
- Please be aware that if your rebates from BED total more than $600 in a calendar year you may be required to complete and submit a W9 form. A W9 form will be provided in this rebate form if it is required.
Level 2 EV chargers may require an upgrade to your home’s electric panel. BED has teamed up with local banks to offer low financing rates for these upgrades.
Local Businesses
Rebate: $2,500 Per Port
We are now offering a rebate of $2,500 per port (up to 75% of the installed cost) for workplace EV charging stations. Contact Energy Services for more information.
Level 2 & 3 Workplace EV Charger
Rebate Amount:
- Level 2: $2,500 per port, up to 75% of installed cost
- Level 2 chargers installed in a Disadvantaged Community (DAC) according to the Justice 40 census map are eligible for a $3,250 rebate.
- Level 3: up to $15,000 per system, up to 75% of installed cost
- Level 3 charger must be 50kW/200 amps or higher output.
- Level 3 charger must connected to a 480v, 3-phase line.
- Level 3 charger must be available to the public during typical non-business hours (e.g. nights, weekends).
Have the following items ready:
- Your Burlington Electric Department account number. It is printed on your monthly bill.
- Photos or scans of your receipts for the charger and charger installation
- A photo or scan of the electric permit
- A photo of the installed charger
- Information required to fill out a W9 form
Terms & Conditions
- This rebate form must be submitted within 60 days of installation.
- This rebate is only for BED commercial customers with active accounts.
- Total rebate amount is limited to 75% of installed cost.
- This rebate is limited to 10 ports per business (not Location ID) unless pre-approved by BED.
- This rebate is only for Level 2 chargers, or higher, installed at workplaces in Burlington, VT.
- This rebate can be applied to the cost of installing the charger(s) on the customer’s premise. Additional costs may be incurred to upgrade the electric grid serving the customer’s premise.
- Contractors are required to secure the necessary permits from Burlington’s Permitting and Inspections Department.
- BED reserves the right to modify or end this offer at any time.
- This offer is valid through December 31, 2024.
- Burlington Electric Department reserves the right to inspect installation and/or verify purchase.
- Burlington Electric Department reserves the right to modify or end this offer at any time.
- Please be aware that if your rebates from BED total more than $600 in a calendar year you may be required to complete and submit a W9 form. A W9 form will be provided in this rebate form if it is required.
Multi-Family Properties
- Increases convenience and availability of charging
- Provides a return on your investment
- Property Owners/Managers: Make your property more desirable and take an active part in Burlington’s Net Zero Energy future with EV charging stations.
- Residents: Encourage your property manager or condo association to take advantage of EV charging to improve the value and long-term enjoyment of your home.
Rebate: $1,200 for Smart Charging (with or without Public Access)
The first option requires a multi-family property to install at least one of the eligible chargers listed on EVmatch’s website. This option provides a bonus incentive of $250 per charger for eligible properties that have more than 15% of their units designated as low-to-moderate income housing and an additional incentive of $300 per charger if the charger is made available to the public from 9am to 5pm during the week. This option requires the recipient to use EVmatch as the software provider to recover the cost of charging by individual users and to make the chargers available to the public as well if they so choose.
Rebate: $1,000 for Standard Charging
This option is for multi-family properties who are looking to provide charging as an amenity to their residents and does not include a charging software platform to recover the cost of charging by individual users. A level 2 charger is required with a rated amperage of 30 or above. This option also includes a $250 additional incentive for eligible properties with more than 15% of their units designated as low-to-moderate income housing.
Residential EV Charger – Multi-Family
Rebate Amount:
- $1,200: Qualifying EVmatch chargers
- $300: Additional rebate for qualifying EVmatch chargers made available to the public from 9am to 5pm during the week.
- $250: Enhanced rebate for qualifying customers*
- $1,000: Non-EVmatch Level 2 chargers (over 30 amps)
- $250: Enhanced rebate for qualifying customers*
* To qualify for the additional $250 rebate, more than 15% of the units your EV charger serves must have a gross income less than the limits listed on the following Documentation page.
Rebate will be processed upon satisfying all Terms & Conditions, providing a receipt of payment and installation of an eligible EV charger, and, applicable to the Smart Charging option, verification that the charger is connected to EVmatch’s (or other applicable provider’s) network.
Have the following items ready:
- Your Burlington Electric Department account number. It is printed on your monthly bill.
- Photos or scans of your receipts for the charger and charger installation.
- Information required to fill out a W9 form
Terms & Conditions
- Recipient must be a Burlington Electric Department customer and/or property owner.
- Applicant’s property must be wired with a house meter that is billed separately, to the property owner or association, from meters for residential units
- Property must be a multi-family unit dwelling, which includes multiple separate housing units for residential inhabitants contained within one building or several buildings within one complex.
- Limit 10 rebates per multi-family unit dwelling.
- Additional rebates may be available with prior approval.
- EV Chargers must be installed by a licensed electrician and the owner/contractor/electrician is responsible for all applicable permits.
- Installation must occur within the municipal boundaries of the City of Burlington.
- Dedicated parking spots should be available for each EV charger port.
- Adequate signage to locate the charger is required for the Smart Charging option.
- By accepting this incentive, the recipient agrees to maintain the installed EV charger for a period of 3 years in a manner that will ensure the intended access to this equipment. This should include maintaining the charger’s functionality and, for Smart/Public Charging, a consistent WiFi or cellular connection.
- The applicant is solely responsible for the design, implementation, and installation of the EV charger (the “Project”) and for ensuring that the EV charger installation (including equipment purchased, work performed, required permits, and material disposal, if any) complies with applicable federal, state and local safety, building, electrical, and environmental laws, codes, regulations and standards and any manufacturer instructions. Recipient assumes full financial responsibility if the Project does not meet the qualifications specified in this Agreement. If future conditions require removal and decommissioning of the EV charger, such removal and decommissioning will be at the expense and risk of the recipient.
- Eligible rebates will be provided upon BED receiving a receipt of payment for the purchase and installation of the EVSE.
- Burlington Electric Department limits rebates to 75% of installed cost.
Terms & Conditions applicable for additional $300 public smart charging rebate
- Recipients receiving the Public EVSE Adder must make their charger available to the public from at least 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday.
- Eligible rebates for Smart Charging will be provided upon verification that the charger is connected to EVmatch’s (or other applicable provider’s) network in addition to receipt of payment for the purchase and installation of the EVSE.
- A contract must be completed with the EV software provider approved by BED.
- The price of charging will not exceed $0.30 / kWh or $3.40 per hour.
- BED reserves the right to promote public chargers that have been installed via this incentive program to the public.
Additional Terms & Conditions
- This offer is valid through December 31, 2024.
- Burlington Electric Department reserves the right to inspect installation and/or verify purchase.
- Burlington Electric Department reserves the right to modify or end this offer at any time.
- Please be aware that if your rebates from BED total more than $600 in a calendar year you may be required to complete and submit a W9 form. A W9 form will be provided in this rebate form if it is required.
Have more questions about EVMatch? Visit their Frequently Asked Questions page.
Electric Panel Upgrades
With the growing popularity of heat pumps, electric vehicles, and other electric appliances, some Burlingtonians may soon reach the limits of their current electric panel. Upgrading your panel to accommodate your current and future needs — and help the city’s Net Zero Energy goal — requires some preparation. Burlington Electric Department can help you navigate this process.
Where To Begin
Call a licensed electrician. Any work done on your electric panel must be done by a licensed electrician. Burlington Electric Department recommends our partners in Vermont’s Efficiency Excellence Network. They have the expertise to deliver the highest-quality services to our customers. Note that workforce constraints are impacting contractor availability so we recommend contacting multiple professionals to compare pricing and project timelines.
Your electrician will contact Burlington Electric Department. Because your electric panel is inside your home (“behind the meter”), you will be responsible for hiring the electrician. However, you will still need to coordinate with BED on a few points like temporarily shutting off the power to your property while your electrician switches over from the old panel to the new panel. Your electrician is best qualified to speak to our team on your behalf.
There may be a charge from BED for the upgrade. In addition to your electrician’s fees, Burlington Electric Department may need to charge for the upgrades to our infrastructure to accommodate your property’s increased needs. This will be determined upon receiving and reviewing the Contractor Application submitted to BED by the electrician.
Financing
Several local credit unions are now offering exceptionally low rates on financing for panel upgrades in addition to their special rates on heat pumps and electric vehicles.
| GMCU | BED Renewable Energy Loan |
| Opportunities Credit Union | Home Improvement Loan (EV) Home Energy Loan (HP) |
| Vermont Federal Credit Union | Energy Efficiency Home Improvement Loan |
| EastRise | Green Loans |
Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP)
The Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP) allows homeowners and renters to finance qualifying weatherization projects like insulation and air sealing, as well as heat pumps and advanced wood heating systems, with repayment through a monthly charge on their utility bill. Learn more.
Simplified Installation Process
1. Estimate the Use of EV Charging
This involves determining the level of use your EV charger will be expected to meet. This can include issuing a sample survey to users to determine their charging needs.
2. Choose the Power Level of EV Charger/s
Level 1 Charging uses a standard 120-volt outlet just like you have all around your home.
- Pros: less expensive to set up; ideal for homes and workplaces where a vehicle can charge for 8 hours or more at a time.
- Cons: delivers only 3-5 miles of range per hour you are charging.
Level 2 Charging uses a special charging device plugged or hard-wired into a 240-volt outlet (like your clothes dryer uses).
- Pros: delivers 10-40 miles of range per hour you are charging; and rebates available from BED.
- Cons: more expensive to set up and may require additional electrical work from a licensed electrician.
3. Choose the Model of the EV Charger/s
There are several factors to consider when choosing your charger model. These include:
- Single-port vs Multiple-port EV Chargers
- Type of mounting system
- Ability to collect payments for charging, if desired
- Charger scheduling and reservations
- Limiting user access
- Cord management
- Energy monitoring
Speak with your electrician or BED Energy Services to learn about your options and current programs.
4. Choose Your Electrician
All EV chargers must be installed by a licensed electrician. Check out our Tips for Hiring an Electrician to find out more.
Based on local requirements and your future plans, be sure to speak with your electrician about electrical upgrades. Upgrades can be done at one of three levels:
- EV Charging Capable: Connecting the EV charger/s to the electrical service so you have adequate panel capacity to accommodate the installation of a dedicated branch circuit and the EV charger/s.
- EV Charging Installed: Having the electrical capacity needed to support installed and working EV charging equipment.
- EV Ready: Often called “make-readies.” Includes the installation of dedicated branch circuit/s, circuit breakers and their electrical components needed to support the future installation of EV charging equipment.
After consulting with your electrician, determine which level of upgrades you want before beginning the process.
BED has partnered with local credit unions to provide exceptionally low rates on financing for electrical panel upgrades and EV charger installation. Learn more about your financing options.
5. Choose Where to Locate EV Charging
Work with your electrician to determine the best location for your EV charging equipment. Some things to consider are:
- Locate close to the existing electrical panel for the house meter
- Maximize users’ access to the EV charging equipment
- For networked chargers, install in an area with accessible and reliable internet connectivity
- Adhere to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). More information about these guidelines can be found here.
- Minimize exposure to the elements (i.e. plowing snow)
6. Choose Ownership and Billing Models
The property manager/owner should contact BED Energy Services to decide how they plan to recover the increased electricity costs associated with EV charging. Alternatively, the property owner/manager can choose to cover the cost of the additional electricity and provide EV charging equipment as an amenity to residents.
Savings Opportunities and Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits
- EV Infrastructure Financing
- BED’s EV Rate – learn how to save even more money on charging costs using BED’s special EV Rate.