Is the federal EV tax credit really gone, and is buying now a worse deal?
Was telling a friend about the $7,500 federal EV credit last week like it still applies and now I'm second-guessing myself — is that still a real thing in 2026 or did I miss news that it went away? And if it's gone, is there anything else actually still around, or is buying an EV just a straight-up worse deal than it was two years ago?
Filed under: General EV Talk
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12 answers
12 ANSWERS
@ribbonashJuly 09, 2026
It expired September 30, 2025 — gone for new purchases now. What's actually still around: OEM discounts that showed up specifically to offset the credit disappearing (varies by brand, shop around), some state-level rebates depending where you live, and Section 30C for home charging equipment specifically, which is a different program and wasn't touched by the federal credit expiring.
So the 30C credit for the charger itself is completely separate from the vehicle credit? I had those merged into one thing in my head this whole time.
Correct, two totally separate programs, different forms, different rules. Vehicle credit (now expired for new purchases) was one thing; equipment credit for charging hardware is its own line, still active as of now. Don't assume one expiring means the other did too.
Worth actually reading the Section 30C form yourself rather than trusting secondhand summaries in threads like this one, mine included. Numbers and caps change and I don't want to be the reason someone files wrong.
State rebates are worth actually checking case by case, mine stacked with a utility rebate for the home charger install and it added up to more than I expected going in.
The leasing angle is the one people sleep on — some of the OEM discount stacking works differently through a lease versus a purchase depending on how the dealer structures it. Worth asking specifically, not assuming purchase and lease pricing work the same way.
Before I factor any of this into the budget — the OEM discounts you mentioned, are those advertised upfront or do you have to specifically ask the dealer for them? On a fixed income I'd rather know the real number going in than find out it was negotiable after I've already signed.
Depends heavily on the brand — a couple list it right on the site as a straight cash allowance, no negotiating needed, but at least two others only mention it if you specifically ask, since not every salesperson volunteers it. Worth pulling up the brand's current-offers page before you go in, and asking directly if it's not listed — a few dealers won't bring it up first.
@ribbonashJuly 09, 2026
Not necessarily worse across the board — sticker prices and OEM discounts have moved too, so the net cost isn't just 'subtract $7,500 from what it used to be.' Compare actual out-the-door prices now versus then, don't just subtract the old credit from an old number.
Following up on my own point since someone asked me offline for specifics — priced out the same trim I looked at two years ago, and the sticker is about $2,800 lower now before any discount, before you even get to the OEM incentive stacking. Doesn't erase the $7,500 gap but it's not the straight loss people assume either.
@foghorn_jtJuly 21, 2026
Coming back to this since it's been a while — ended up buying anyway, out-the-door price with the OEM discount landed close enough to what I remembered the credit being worth that I stopped doing the math. Not sure that holds for every brand though.
The federal Clean Vehicle Credit is still active for 2026 — there's an MSRP cap and an income cap depending on filing status, and the credit itself maxes at $7,500 but a lot of models only qualify for the $3,750 half-credit depending on sourcing. The good part is you can take it at point-of-sale now instead of waiting for tax season, so it knocks the price down at signing. The IRS page has the current caps and the eligible-model list — worth checking your exact VIN before you sign, since sourcing changes can bump a car in or out mid-year.
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