Massachusetts just launched one of the largest utility-funded EV charging investments in the country — nearly $400 million across its three major utilities — and unlike some states where the big money goes almost entirely to businesses and apartment buildings, a meaningful share of this one is specifically earmarked for single-family and small residential properties. Here’s what changed and what’s actually available to homeowners now.
A Major Program Update You Should Know About
In October 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) issued an order restructuring how the state’s utilities fund EV charging infrastructure, creating a new Make-Ready Program with close to $400 million in total funding across Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil:
- National Grid: $206 million — the largest of the three allocations
- Eversource: $188 million
- Unitil: $998,000 — a much smaller service territory, proportionally scaled
Critically, this program explicitly includes make-ready infrastructure and charger rebates for residential customers in 1-to-4-unit properties — meaning single-family homes and small multi-family properties are directly eligible, not just workplaces and large apartment complexes. Because this restructuring is recent, older articles referencing pre-October-2025 rebate amounts (some cite Eversource wiring rebates up to $1,400, or National Grid up to $700) may not reflect the current, larger program — check each utility’s updated EV page directly for current figures rather than relying on pre-2026 amounts.
Eversource
Beyond the new Make-Ready funding described above, Eversource runs a Managed Charging program with rebates toward Level 2 chargers from an approved equipment list, which has included brands like Autel, ChargePoint, Emporia, and Wallbox — confirm your specific model against Eversource’s current list before purchasing. Eversource also offers enhanced support for low-income customers specifically: up to $1,000 for in-home electrical infrastructure upgrades and up to $700 toward the charger purchase itself for qualifying households, separate from the standard residential rebate.
National Grid
National Grid’s residential EV charging infrastructure program offers a rebate ranging from $50 to $2,000 per charger, potentially covering up to 100% of project cost depending on your specific circumstances, and the program is scheduled to run through December 31, 2026 — though like most utility rebate pools, it can close earlier if funding is exhausted before that date. As with Eversource, the charger must be on National Grid’s approved equipment list (which has included ChargePoint, Emporia, Tesla, and Wallbox models) — verify your planned charger is listed before buying.
Unitil
Unitil’s territory is much smaller than Eversource’s or National Grid’s, reflected in its comparatively modest $998,000 allocation — but the same principle applies: residential customers in 1-4 unit properties are eligible for make-ready infrastructure and charger rebate support under the same October 2025 DPU restructuring. Check Unitil’s current program page directly for specifics, since smaller utility programs sometimes have less centralized public documentation than the two larger providers.
Municipal Utilities: Smaller Territories, Their Own Programs
Massachusetts has numerous municipal light departments outside the three major utilities above, several running their own EV programs:
- MMWEC (Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company) Residential EV Charger Program: $200-700 per charger, open through December 31, 2026 or until funding is depleted
- Holyoke Gas and Electric: runs its own “Holyoke EVs” residential charger program — check current terms directly
- Concord Municipal Light Plant: DriveEV program, offering $650-1,000 (income-dependent) — note this is a vehicle purchase rebate, not a charger installation rebate, along with $350-550 for PHEV purchases
- Norwood Municipal Light Department: NU-EV Rebate up to $1,500 for new or used EV purchase — again, a vehicle rebate, not charger-specific
- Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations (SELCO): $1,000 rebate toward a new or used EV (2018 or later), with an additional $600 for income-qualified customers — also a vehicle rebate
If your town has its own municipal light department, it’s worth checking specifically, since these smaller utilities often run programs not well indexed by general search results.
MassEVIP: Mostly Not for Single-Family Homes (With One Notable Exception)
The state’s MassEVIP program, administered separately from the new utility Make-Ready funding, primarily targets multifamily properties, workplaces, and educational campuses — for example, offering grants covering 60% of project costs (up to $50,000) for multifamily and campus Level 1/Level 2 charging, and up to 80% (up to $50,000) for DC fast charging at publicly accessible sites. If you’re a single-family homeowner, this specific program generally doesn’t apply to you directly — the residential support you’re eligible for comes through the utility Make-Ready programs described above, not MassEVIP.
One important rule to know if you do interact with both: funding received from MassEVIP is subtracted from what you can receive through your utility’s EV program — you can’t fully stack both for the same project, so disclose any MassEVIP funding when applying to your utility’s rebate.
What Happened to Federal Incentives
Two federal credits relevant to Massachusetts homeowners have expired:
- Section 30C (30% of home charger installation cost, up to $1,000, in eligible census tracts) expired for installations placed in service after June 30, 2026 — that deadline has passed. If you installed before then, you can still claim it using IRS Form 8911 on your tax return for that year.
- A separate federal credit covering up to 30% of electrical panel upgrade costs (capped at $600) when the upgrade supported EV charging only applied to work completed before December 31, 2025 — this has also already expired and doesn’t apply to 2026 installations.
Going forward, Massachusetts homeowners are relying on the new utility Make-Ready programs above as their primary support, not federal credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the new Make-Ready Program replace the older Eversource/National Grid rebates I’ve seen mentioned elsewhere? Largely yes — the October 2025 DPU order restructured these programs, so older figures (like Eversource’s previous $1,400 wiring rebate or National Grid’s previous $700 figure) may be superseded by the new, larger Make-Ready funding. Check each utility’s current EV page for the figure that applies now rather than relying on pre-restructuring amounts.
Do I need to use an approved charger to qualify? Generally yes, for both Eversource and National Grid — confirm your specific planned model against each utility’s current approved equipment list before purchasing, since an unlisted charger can disqualify an otherwise eligible project.
Can I apply for both MassEVIP and my utility’s rebate? You can apply for both, but any MassEVIP funding you receive is subtracted from what you can get through your utility’s program — full stacking of complete rebate amounts from both isn’t possible for the same project.
Is there still a state income tax credit for the vehicle itself? Vehicle purchase incentives run through the separate MOR-EV (Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles) program, which is distinct from the charger-installation incentives covered in this article — check MOR-EV’s current terms if you’re still shopping for the vehicle.
Bottom Line
Massachusetts homeowners are in a genuinely stronger position than they were before October 2025: the new Make-Ready Program specifically extends substantial utility funding to single-family and small multi-family properties, correcting what had been a gap favoring commercial and multi-unit installations in many other states. Check your specific utility (Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil) or municipal light department directly for current rebate amounts, since this is a recently restructured program and figures are actively being updated across utility websites.
Utility rebate programs, amounts, and eligibility requirements change frequently, especially following the October 2025 program restructuring. Verify current program status directly with your specific utility before making installation decisions.
