With President Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act on Tuesday, time is nearly up to get your purchase paperwork completed for a new EV or plug-in hybrid and still earn the federal tax credit.
While the revamped EV tax credit contained in the bill includes many top-level provisions that are likely to set the supply chain up for more American-made EVs soon, in the short term it will take away bottom-line money from many looking to purchase an EV or plug-in hybrid—and put some severe limitations on the number of choices you have in the market.
The tax credit knocks out higher-priced and luxury EVs, with a cap of $80,000 for vans, SUVs, and pickups, and a cap of $55,000 for passenger cars.
It also sets a maximum adjusted gross income (AGI) for those who can claim the credit, of $150,000 for single filers, $225,000 for heads of households, and $300,000 for joint filers.
2022 Rivian R1T
There is an exception on the eve of the new rule, which starts as soon as Biden signs: A binding purchase contract will grandfather in the old qualification terms. Fisker may have had the right idea in tying up orders for its Ocean One launch edition recently. Fellow startup electric vehicle makers Rivian and Lucid are among several brands that have flexed the rules in recent days to help make more orders binding.
The tax credit is almost certainly gone for the rest of 2022 and will be back at the beginning of 2023 for a smaller group of vehicles. Some domestic-content and supply-chain rules need guidance from the Treasury Department, and automakers will shift to more U.S.-sourced batteries and components, but this won’t happen overnight—or even in a year.
In the meantime, we’ve looked at price and final assembly location—distilling the federal government’s current list of eligible vehicles in steps—as a starting point for getting a realistic idea of which vehicles will be eligible in calendar year 2023.
FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Electric vehicles that currently qualify but are too expensive to meet the new price caps:
Audi E-Tron GT
BMW iX
Genesis G80 Electrified
GMC Hummer EV
Lucid Air
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Porsche Taycan
Rivian R1S
Rivian R1T
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS AMG
Electric vehicles that would continue to qualify by price but aren’t built in North America:
Audi E-Tron SUV and Sportback
Audi Q4 SUV and Sportback
BMW i4
Fisker Ocean
Genesis GV60
Hyundai Kona Electric
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Jaguar I-Pace
Kia EV6
Kia Niro EV
Mazda MX-30
Mini Cooper SE
Polestar 2
Subaru Solterra
Toyota BZ4X
Volvo C40 Recharge
Volvo XC40 Recharge
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
EVs that will likely qualify in 2023 on price and assembly point in 2023 (before tighter supply-chain rules):
Chevrolet Bolt EV (with the lifting of the 200,000-vehicle cap)
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford E-Transit
Ford F-150 Lightning
Nissan Leaf
Volkswagen ID.4
Tesla Model 3 (with the lifting of the 200,000-vehicle cap)
Tesla Model Y (with the lifting of the 200,000-vehicle cap)
2022 Tesla Model 3
PLUG-IN HYBRIDS
Plug-in hybrids will continue to qualify as clean vehicles eligible for the credit based on their battery size. But these simply don’t meet the price cut.
Audi A7 TFSI e Quattro plug-in hybrid
Bentley Bentayga Hybrid
BMW 530e xDrive
BMW 745e xDrive
Land Rover Range Rover Plug-In Hybrid
Land Rover Range Rover Sport Plug-in Hybrid
McLaren Artura
Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid
Porsche Panamera 4/S E-Hybrid
2021 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe
These plug-in hybrids currently qualify on price but don’t have final assembly in the U.S.
Audi Q5 TFSI e Quattro plug-in hybrid
BMW X5 xDrive45e
BMW 330e and 330e xDrive
Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid
Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid
Lexus NX 450h+
Mini Cooper SE Countryman ALL4
Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid
Toyota Prius Prime
Toyota RAV4 Prime
Volvo S60 Recharge Extended Range
Volvo V60 Recharge Extended Range
Volvo XC60 Recharge Extended Range
Volvo S90 Recharge Extended Range
Volvo XC90 Recharge Extended Range
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE
Plug-in hybrids that will likely qualify in 2023 (before tighter supply-chain rules):
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid
Jeep Wrangler 4xe
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring
Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring
2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe
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