US EV incentives in 2026: what's actually still available
The federal purchase credit has gone. Here's what replaced it — state programs, the home charger credit, and the new auto-loan interest deduction.
A great deal of EV content online still assumes a $7,500 federal credit on a new electric car and $4,000 on a used one. It no longer exists. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, both clean-vehicle credits ended for vehicles acquired after 30 September 2025, so any 2026 sums that include them are simply wrong.
This guide is a placeholder outline while we finish our full breakdown. The sections below cover what the finished article will explain in detail.
The federal purchase credits have ended
The 30D new clean-vehicle credit, the 25E used clean-vehicle credit and the 45W commercial credit all closed to vehicles acquired after 30 September 2025. There is no successor purchase credit, and our US cost comparison deliberately assumes none.
- New EV credit (up to $7,500): ended for vehicles acquired after 30 September 2025
- Used EV credit (up to $4,000): ended on the same date
- Dealer point-of-sale transfers ended with them — treat any advertised discount as a dealer or manufacturer offer, not a tax credit
State and utility programs: where the money still is
State-level support is now the main source of incentives, and it varies enormously. Some states run active rebate programs, others have wound theirs down or exhausted the funding, and many utilities offer their own rebates on chargers and off-peak charging rates.
- Check your state energy office and your electric utility before you buy — programs open and close with the budget cycle
- Utility rebates on a Level 2 charger and its installation are common and often overlooked
- Time-of-use EV rates can be worth more over three years than a one-off rebate
- HOV lane access, reduced registration and toll discounts exist in several states
Home charger credit status
The 30C alternative fuel refuelling property credit — which covered a share of home charger hardware and installation in eligible census tracts — was also curtailed by the same legislation. We will confirm the exact cut-off and eligibility position here, along with which utility rebates fill the gap.
The auto-loan interest deduction
The current federal replacement is not an EV credit at all: it is a deduction for interest paid on a loan for a new, US-assembled vehicle, available to buyers within income limits and claimable whether or not you itemise. It applies to petrol and electric vehicles alike, so it narrows rather than widens the EV advantage.
- Applies to new vehicles with final assembly in the United States
- Interest deduction, not a credit — the value depends on your loan size and tax rate
- Income phase-outs apply; leases do not qualify
What this means for the maths
With no federal purchase credit, the US case for an electric car rests on running costs: cheaper energy per mile if you can charge at home, lower servicing, and no oil changes. Our calculator uses EIA fuel and electricity averages and no purchase incentive at all, so the result is the conservative case.
Full state-by-state detail is coming soon.
Example models to read next
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