New rules for the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) tax credit have taken effect, significantly limiting the number of qualifying options in 2024. Tesla is one of many automakers that saw some of its vehicles excluded at the turn of the new year, and only a handful remain across the industry.
Despite the list of qualifying EVs getting shorter, the 2024 guidance also lets sellers offer the rebate at the point of sale, rather than buyers being forced to wait until doing their taxes. A handful of dealerships have signed up to offer this benefit for their automakers, while companies that have a direct sales model, like Tesla and Rivian, will also be able to offer the rebate instantly.
The IRS offers a $7,500 tax credit to select EVs, including both battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plugin hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and a reduced $3,750 credit.
Interestingly, one PHEV still qualifies for the full tax credit, while others are eligible for the reduced credit. Only five BEVs remain eligible for the full $7,500 amount, though some include multiple configurations.
The tax credit also has MSRP limits, maxing out at $80,000 for vans, SUVS and pickups, and at $55,000 for other EVs. Buyers must also be under a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, $225,000 for heads of households, or $150,000 for all other filers.
You can see the full list of BEVs and PHEVs that are eligible for the federal tax credit below.
BEVs that qualify for the $7,500 tax credit by brand
Chevy
- Bolt EUV
- Bolt EV
Ford
- F-150 Lightning Standard Range
- F-150 Lightning Extended Range
Tesla
- Model 3 Performance
- Model Y Rear Wheel Drive
- Model Y All Wheel Drive
- Model Y Performance
- Model X Long Range
BEVs that qualify for the $3,750 tax credit by brand
Rivian
- R1S Dual-Motor Large
- R1S Quad-Motor Large
- R1T Dual-Motor Large
- R1T Dual-Motor Max
- R1T Quad-Motor Large
PHEVs that qualify for the $7,500 tax credit by brand
Chrysler
- Pacifica PHEV
PHEVs that qualify for the $3,750 tax credit by brand
Ford
- Escape PHEV
Jeep
- Grand Cherokee PHEV 4xe
- Wrangler PHEV 4xe
Lincoln
- Corsair Grand Touring PHEV
You can see the IRS web page detailing the new requirements here, simply by filtering the “Placed in Service” dropdown menu by this year. The IRS also offers a fact sheet featuring frequently asked questions on the updated guidance.
What happened to the Tesla Cybertruck & Model 3’s IRA tax credit eligibility?
What are your thoughts? Did I miss any EV models? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge.”
The Woodlands Township, Texas, has formally entered The Boring Company’s tunneling sweepstakes.
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” which offers up to one mile of tunnel construction at no cost to a selected community.
The Woodlands’ proposal, dubbed “The Current,” features two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels beneath the Town Center corridor near The Waterway. Teslas would shuttle passengers between Waterway Square, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Town Green Park and nearby hotels during concerts and large-scale events, as noted in a Chron report.
Township officials framed the tunnel as a solution for the township’s traffic congestion issues. The Pavilion alone hosts more than 60 shows each year and can accommodate crowds of up to 16,500, often straining Lake Robbins Drive and surrounding intersections.
“We know we have traffic impacts and pedestrian movement challenges, especially in the Town Center area,” Chris Nunes, chief operating officer of The Woodlands Township, stated during the meeting.
“The Current” mirrors the Loop system operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Tesla vehicles transport passengers through underground tunnels between venues and resorts.
The Boring Company issued its request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January, inviting cities and districts to pitch local uses for its tunneling technology. The Woodlands must submit its application by Feb. 23, though no timeline has been provided for when a winning community will be announced.
Nunes confirmed that the board has authorized a submission for “The Current’s” proposal, though he emphasized that the project is still in its preliminary stages.
“The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has authorized staff to submit an application to The Boring Company, which has issued an RFP for communities interested in leveraging their technology to address community challenges,” he said in a statement.
“The Board believes that an underground tunnel would provide a safe and efficient means to transport people to and from various high-use community amenities in our Town Center.”
News
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall.
The Tesla Model Y has been named 2026 Drive Car of the Year overall winner, taking the top honor after being judged as the vehicle that “moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers.”
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall, but the vehicle’s Juniper update strengthened its case with new ownership benefits and expanded software capability.
Drive’s overall award compares category winners and looks at which model most significantly advances the local new car market. In 2026, judges pointed to the Model Y’s five-year warranty and the availability of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as a monthly subscription as key differentiators.
Priced from AU$58,900 before on-road costs, the all-electric crossover SUV offers a lot of value compared to similarly sized petrol and hybrid rivals. The ability to access Tesla’s Supercharger network across Australia also reduces friction for buyers moving to EV ownership.
Owners can add FSD (Supervised) for AU$149 per month. While it still requires driver oversight, the system expands the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance capabilities and reflects Tesla’s software-first approach.
“The default choice for a reason. The Tesla Model Y makes the transition to electric both effortless and rewarding,” Drive wrote.
The 2025 Model Y facelift also sharpened the vehicle’s exterior, highlighted by a distinctive rear light bar that gives the crossover SUV a more modern road presence.
Drive described the Model Y as a benchmark for combining practicality, efficiency and technology at an accessible price point. With eligibility for federal Fringe Benefit Tax exemptions through novated leasing, its value proposition has improved for numerous buyers.
For 2026, the Model Y’s combination of range efficiency, charging access and software capability proved decisive. Ultimately, the award all but cements the Model Y’s position as one of the most influential vehicles in Australia’s evolving new-car market today.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.”
Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship will fly again next month, reiterating SpaceX’s aggressive timeline for the first launch of its Starship V3 rocket.
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.” The CEO’s post was accompanied by a video of Starship’s Super Heavy booster being successfully caught by a launch tower in Starbase, Texas.
The timeline is notable. In late January, Musk stated that Starship’s next flight, Flight 12, was expected in about six weeks. This placed the expected mission date sometime in March. That estimate aligned with SpaceX’s earlier statement that Starship’s 12th flight test “remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.”
If the vehicle does indeed fly next month, it would mark the debut of Starship V3, the upgraded platform expected to feature the rocket’s new Raptor V3 engines.
Raptor V3 is designed to deliver significantly higher thrust than earlier versions while reducing cost and weight. Starship V3 itself is expected to be optimized for manufacturability, a critical step if SpaceX intends to scale production toward frequent launches for Starlink, lunar missions, and eventually Mars.
Starship V3 is widely viewed as the version that transitions the program from experimental testing to true operational scaling. Previous iterations have completed multiple integrated flight tests, with mixed outcomes but steady progress. Expectations are high that SpaceX is now working on Starship’s refinement.
An aggressive launch schedule supports several priorities at once. It advances Starlink’s next-generation satellite deployment, supports NASA’s lunar ambitions under Artemis, and keeps SpaceX on track for its longer-term Moon and Mars objectives.