Photo: Unsplash, Andrew Roberts
County officials are urging residents who want to buy or lease an electric vehicle to do it in September so they can take advantage of a federal tax credit before the incentive ends under President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Trump’s bill eliminates the tax credit Sept. 30.
“There are still less than two weeks left to get in, talk to a dealer, and sign a contract, so if you’re in the market this is the time to act,” said Brian Booher, senior planning specialist with the county’s Department of Environmental Protection, during a media briefing with County Executive Marc Elrich this week.
The tax credit is up to $7,500 for new cars and up to $4,000 for used cars, according to qualification criteria from the IRS.
“Basically, all this was sacrificed to give more tax cuts to billionaires,” Elrich said, “which is a horrible way to use your budgetary authority.”
Seven dealerships are advertising incentives through the county’s EV Purchasing Co-op program this month.
In many cases, Booher said, dealerships let people claim the tax credit at the point of sale, so drivers do not have to wait until tax season to get the money back, but remember to ask for a time-of-sale report and the tax credit forms.
People are still eligible if they have a binding contract and made a payment before Sept. 30, even if the car is delivered after Sept. 30. But, vehicle shoppers are advised to confirm that information with the dealership before making the transaction.
“What comes next for the EV market after September? We can’t be completely sure,” Booher said. He expects good deals on used EVs that are coming off of leases.
Elrich — who has driven an EV since around 2013 — said there are at least 40,000 plug-in EVs in the county.
