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Austin Energy EV charging station rebate

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Has anyone taken advantage of the Austin Energy EV charging station rebate? Plug-In Partners for Drivers

I'm concerned with these conditions:

"By accepting this rebate, you agree to participate in the Plug-In Partners program which requires a 3-year commitment to the following

* that Austin Energy may, at any time during your commitment period, replace your charging station with an Austin Energy-owned charging station located in your home and on your side of the meter;
* that Austin Energy may install and operate AE-owned data monitoring or charge management devices in your home and on your side of the meter;
* that Austin Energy may remotely monitor and manage your charging as part of a charge management pilot as described in the Rebate and Program Participation Agreement."

Should I be concerned? Or do you think that this is something that is worth looking into?

i wonder if:

1) a 15/50 is considered a 'charging station' or if you'd have to install the HPWC. Is a 15/50 a level 2 charging station?
2) the Tesla is an approved vehicle. I don't see a list of approve vehicles anywhere.
 
Do you need the twin chargers to take full advantage of this HPWC? It would be great if Tesla would decouple the twin chargers from this HPWC when ordering the car so that these rebate programs would apply properly to the charger.

And there is the problem they don't decouple. I would still get the charger for $1250 (FREE) if Austin Energy is offering. That way you can always have your other charger in the car.
 
Yes they will rebate installation of a NEMA 14-50, if you use one of the electricians on their approved list. Don't worry about the charging station replacement thing-- you won't have a charging station. They put this language in so they could get into the charging station business if they wanted to do so.
 
I went through 2012 turbo tax to see what happens when I enter an amount for an energy efficient charging station. Interestingly, unless I say that part of the charger is for a business expense, the credit is always zero.

Tesla's site says "up to $1,000 for personal use and $30,000 for business use". Turbo tax says the following when you click on help:

"
Charging stations for plug-in electric or hybrid electric vehicles qualify for this credit.
You can claim this credit if you installed a charging or refueling station at your home.
You can claim this credit if you installed a charging or refueling station at your business location.

Eligibility requirements
The following conditions must be met to qualify for this credit:
- You started using the station in 2012.
- You are the original owner of the station.
- The station is used primarily in the United States.
- The station is installed in your main home or business location."

That certainly sounds like a 100% personal use station installed in your home would qualify for the credit. However, the credit is always zero. I went to look at the actual IRS form 8911: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8911.pdf

"Line 9 for business use would be $0
Line 10 says: "do not file this form unless you are claiming a credit on line 9"

I found the IRS description of 8911 ( Form 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit) ; it says:

"Use Form 8911 to figure your credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property you placed in service during your tax year. The credit attributable to depreciable property (refueling property used for business or investment purposes) is treated as a general business credit. Any credit not attributable to depreciable property is treated as a personal credit."

Ambiguous, huh? If I have 0% to depreciable property, then I would have 100% personal credit, but nooo...

I clicked on the link that Tesla gives at the bottom of the page for the HPWC: Internal Revenue Bulletin - May 29, 2007 - Notice 2007-43

It seems to imply that the credit that it is talking about would apply to personal use:

"
(ii) The property is of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation or is installed on property that is used as the taxpayer’s principal residence (within the meaning of § 121)).
(iii) The original use of the property begins with the taxpayer."

But that document doesn't say anything about the forms that would be used to apply for this credit. I looked at the 2007 version of 8911 (to match the 2007 QAFV document) and it also has that 'do not file' on line 10.


Can you find anything that I have been not savvy enough to find?
 
I went through 2012 turbo tax to see what happens when I enter an amount for an energy efficient charging station. Interestingly, unless I say that part of the charger is for a business expense, the credit is always zero.

Tesla's site says "up to $1,000 for personal use and $30,000 for business use". Turbo tax says the following when you click on help:

"
Charging stations for plug-in electric or hybrid electric vehicles qualify for this credit.
You can claim this credit if you installed a charging or refueling station at your home.
You can claim this credit if you installed a charging or refueling station at your business location.

Eligibility requirements
The following conditions must be met to qualify for this credit:
- You started using the station in 2012.
- You are the original owner of the station.
- The station is used primarily in the United States.
- The station is installed in your main home or business location."

That certainly sounds like a 100% personal use station installed in your home would qualify for the credit. However, the credit is always zero. I went to look at the actual IRS form 8911: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8911.pdf

"Line 9 for business use would be $0
Line 10 says: "do not file this form unless you are claiming a credit on line 9"

I found the IRS description of 8911 ( Form 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit) ; it says:

"Use Form 8911 to figure your credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property you placed in service during your tax year. The credit attributable to depreciable property (refueling property used for business or investment purposes) is treated as a general business credit. Any credit not attributable to depreciable property is treated as a personal credit."

Ambiguous, huh? If I have 0% to depreciable property, then I would have 100% personal credit, but nooo...

I clicked on the link that Tesla gives at the bottom of the page for the HPWC: Internal Revenue Bulletin - May 29, 2007 - Notice 2007-43

It seems to imply that the credit that it is talking about would apply to personal use:

"
(ii) The property is of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation or is installed on property that is used as the taxpayer’s principal residence (within the meaning of § 121)).
(iii) The original use of the property begins with the taxpayer."

But that document doesn't say anything about the forms that would be used to apply for this credit. I looked at the 2007 version of 8911 (to match the 2007 QAFV document) and it also has that 'do not file' on line 10.


Can you find anything that I have been not savvy enough to find?

Glad I have a CPA to figure all of this mess out for me :biggrin:
 
Anyone participate in this now? I just got the agreement, and wow, 1500 takes a lot of commitment... That B clause in particular...

My car battery is going to be a supplier on the grid??? what?

By accepting the Rebate, Participant agrees that:

A. Austin Energy may, in its sole discretion, replace Participant's Charging Station with an
Austin Energy-owned Level 2 charging station and associated hardware and equipment
("AE Charging Station"). Austin Energy will only install charging equipment with a charge
rate (the speed at which energy flows through the equipment) that is equal to or greater than
the participant’s existing station.

B. Austin Energy may install at Participant's property and operate data monitoring or charge
management devices which gather information regarding equipment usage, perform
load control functions to cycle charging equipment off as needed, and/or draw electricity
from vehicle battery power into the Austin Energy electricity distribution system.
· ·
C. If Austin Energy has installed any equipment, then participant shall provide Austin Energy
access to electric vehicle charging and related equipment for maintenance, service,
or replacement during normal business hours not later than 10 business days after
Austin Energy's request for access to equipment.