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For a few years, EV math leaned on one big number: a federal credit of up to $7,500 on new EVs and up to $4,000 on used ones, often taken right at the dealership. That number is gone. The federal clean vehicle credits aren’t available for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, and the federal home-charger credit ended for equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026. On a new EV, that’s up to $7,500 the car now has to earn back on its own.
Some EVs and plug-in hybrids still win on ownership costs, and some don’t; the answer depends heavily on how much you drive and where you charge. Free tip: many EV leases had the commercial credit built into lower payments, so if your lease is ending, don’t assume a similar payment on the replacement. Below: exactly what changed, incentives that may still exist, the ownership costs salespeople skip, a five-year worked comparison with no federal credit, and who should look harder at a hybrid.
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In the full guide
- What changed, precisely
- What incentives may still exist
- The ownership costs salespeople skip
- A worked example: five years, no federal credit
- Who still comes out ahead with an EV
- Who should look harder at a hybrid
- Your game plan
- What to say
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