Pumping gas may be a thing of the past for a lot of New York drivers. With gas prices rising and accessibility to electric vehicles becoming easier, many are officially making the switch.

“My car has 15,000 miles on it now,” explain William Taylor. This is his second electric vehicle, that he chargers at a Tesla supercharger in Middletown, NY.

According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the Charge NY Initiative is designed to allow more New Yorkers to convert to alternative energy. Governor Kathy Hochul fast tracked the state goal of reaching zero emissions from passenger vehicles by the year 2035. As of now, California is the only other state to achieve this milestone.

“If I were buying gas, it comes out to $2,500. That’s what I would have spent so far. My electric, I know it was exactly $350. So it’s really a no brainer,” said Taylor.

Saving at the pump (or charger) isn’t the only incentive for buyers. To help residents achieve the goal of zero emissions from passenger vehicles, the state is offering a Drive Clean rebate up to $2,000 for new purchases or leases of electric vehicles. New electric vehicles owners are also eligible for a federal tax credit up to $7,500.

According to NYSERDA, there are almost 87,000 registered electric vehicles in the state of New York, with most public charging stations located in the city. “Range anxiety” may deter buyers from considering all-electric options, but programs exist that help owners to plan their trips around where they’re able to charge up.

“There’s a program called ‘a better route planner’ and you put in your destination. The program reads you car’s mileage, because every car is different, and it plans where your stops are going to be,” explained Taylor.

“So this is how I entertain myself while I’m charging,” said Taylor. He’s on his way home from work, at a charging station in a QuikCheck parking lot just a few miles from his home. While Taylor waits for his vehicle to charge, he entertains himself by pulling up whatever YouTube video interests him in the moment.

“It says ‘charge is finished’,” said Taylor. “Alright, that’s it.”