The Tesla Model 3 now qualifies for the full $7,500 EV incentive thanks to a new loophole in the tax incentive system.
While EV tax incentives have been a critical tool in helping countless buyers afford their first electric vehicles, with a recent constriction of qualifications, the options for buyers looking to take advantage of the full incentive amount have decreased significantly. However, according to a new report from Bloomberg, buyers have identified a new loophole allowing them to get the vehicles they want.
To give some important context, currently, only six vehicles qualify for the full $7,500 EV incentive in the United States. This includes some trims of Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, Chevy Bolt/Bolt EUV, Ford F-150 Lightning, Cadillac Lyriq, and Volkswagen ID.4. And while a larger number of vehicles qualify for at least half of the EV incentive, it is often not enough for many buyers.
The loophole identified by Bloomberg’s newest report is leasing. By choosing to lease a selected EV instead of purchasing it outright, a car buyer can still receive a full EV incentive for vehicles that would, under the new battery sourcing requirements, not qualify for the full amount or no incentive at all. Perhaps most notably, this includes vehicles like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, but this same trick can be extended to the base model Tesla Model 3, which currently only qualifies for half of the $7,500 EV incentive.
On top of receiving full tax incentives, customers would also benefit from lower monthly payments and other benefits that manufacturers offer leaseholders, such as complimentary maintenance and coverage for consumables like tires.
It should be noted that this loophole has its downsides thanks to the structure of leasing a vehicle. Foremost, buyers do not own the vehicle while leasing it, and when the lease is complete, typically after three years, they will have to return it unless they choose to pay a pre-negotiated price for it. Further, while owning the vehicle, manufacturers typically limit mileage to roughly 15,000 per year, with the owner paying a penalty for exceeding that amount.
Other vehicles that customers could now receive a full incentive for, as long as they stay under segment-specific price caps, include the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Toyota BZ4X, Polestar 2, and lineup of Rivian trucks, though this list is not exhaustive.
Bloomberg notes that, due to this new loophole, Ford’s credit division now believes a record number of its EVs will be acquired through lease instead of a traditional purchase. Specifically, the historic American automaker expects 60% of EVs to be purchased through lease agreements, though if EV incentives continue to tighten, that number could grow dramatically.
The EV tax credit changes currently preventing most EVs from receiving incentives are “battery sourcing” requirements. These new rules require an automaker to source at least 40% of its battery materials from the United States or a “free-trade agreement partner.” If it wishes to acquire the full $7,500 incentive, it must also source 50% of battery components from North America as well. These requirements will tighten dramatically over the coming years, eventually reaching 100% sourced from the designated areas listed above.
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Tesla celebrates 75k Superchargers, less than 5 months since 70k-stall milestone
Tesla’s 75,000th stall is hosted at the South Hobart Smart Store on Cascade Road, South Hobart, Tasmania.
Tesla has crossed another major charging milestone by officially installing its 75,000th Supercharger stall worldwide. The electric vehicle maker chose South Hobart, Tasmania, as the commemorative location of its 75,000th Supercharger.
Tesla’s 75,000th Supercharger
Tesla’s 75,000th stall is hosted at the South Hobart Smart Store on Cascade Road, South Hobart, TAS 7004, as noted in a techAU report. The location features four next-generation V4 Superchargers, which are built with longer cables that should make it easy even for non-Teslas to use the rapid charger. The site also includes simplified payment options, aligning with Tesla’s push to make V4 stations more accessible to a broader set of drivers.
For Tasmanian EV owners, the installation fills an important regional gap, improving long-distance coverage around Hobart and strengthening the area’s appeal for mainland travelers traveling by electric vehicle. Similar to other commemorative Superchargers, the 70,000th stall is quite special as it is finished in Glacier Blue paint. Tesla’s 50,000th stall, which is in California, is painted a stunning red, and the 60,000th stall, which is in Japan, features unique origami-inspired graphics.
Accelerating Supercharger milestones
The Tesla Supercharger’s pace of expansion shows no signs of slowing. Tesla celebrated its 70,000th stall at a 12-stall site in Burleson, Texas late June 2025. Just eight months earlier, Tesla announced that it had celebrated the buildout of its 60,000th Supercharger, which was built in Enshu Morimachi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network also recently received accolades in the United Kingdom, with the 2025 Zapmap survey naming the rapid charging system as the Best Large EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Survey respondents praised the Supercharger Network for its ease of use, price, and reliability, which is best-in-class. The fact that the network has also been opened for non-Teslas is just icing on the cake.
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Luminar-Volvo breakdown deepens as lidar maker warns of potential bankruptcy
The automaker stated that Luminar failed to meet contractual obligations.
Luminar’s largest customer, Volvo, has canceled a key five-year contract as the lidar supplier warned investors that it might be forced to file for bankruptcy. The automaker stated that Luminar failed to meet contractual obligations, escalating a dispute already unfolding as Luminar defaults on loans, undergoes layoffs, and works to sell portions of the business.
Volvo pulls back on Luminar
In a statement to TechCrunch, Volvo stated that Luminar’s failure to deliver its contractual obligations was a key driver of the cancellation of the contract. “Volvo Cars has made this decision to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars,” Volvo noted in a statement.
The rift marked a notable turn for the two companies, whose relationship dates back several years. Volvo invested in Luminar early and helped push its sensors into production programs, while Luminar’s technology bolstered the credibility of Volvo’s safety-focused autonomous driving plans. Volvo’s partnership also supported Luminar’s 2020 SPAC listing, which briefly made founder Austin Russell one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the industry.
Damaged Volvo relations
The damaged Volvo partnership comes during a critical period for Luminar. The company has defaulted on several loans and warned investors that bankruptcy remains a possibility if restructuring discussions fall through. To conserve cash, Luminar has cut 25% of its workforce and is exploring strategic alternatives, including partial or full asset sales.
One potential buyer is founder Austin Russell, who resigned as CEO in May amid a board-initiated ethics inquiry. The company is also the subject of an ongoing SEC investigation.
Luminar, for its part, also noted in a filing that it had “made a claim against Volvo for significant damages” and “suspended further commitments of Iris” for the carmaker. “The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all,” the lidar maker stated.
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Elon Musk says he’s open to powering Apple’s Siri with xAI’s Grok
Siri, one of the first intelligent AI assistants in the market, has become widely outdated and outperformed by rivals over the years.
Elon Musk says he’s willing to help Apple overhaul Siri by integrating xAI’s Grok 4.1, igniting widespread excitement and speculations about a potential collaboration between the two tech giants.
Siri, one of the first intelligent AI assistants in the market, has become widely outdated and outperformed by rivals over the years.
Musk open to an Apple collaboration
Musk’s willingness to team up with Apple surfaced after an X user suggested replacing Siri with Grok 4.1 to modernize the AI assistant. The original post criticized Siri’s limitations and urged Apple to adopt a more advanced AI system. “It’s time for Apple to team up with xAI and actually fix Siri. Replace that outdated, painfully dumb assistant with Grok 4.1. Siri deserves to be Superintelligent,” the X user wrote.
Musk quoted the post, responding with, “I’m down.” Musk’s comment quickly attracted a lot of attention among X’s users, many of whom noted that a Grok update to Siri would be appreciated because Apple’s AI assistant has legitimately become terrible in recent years. Others also noted that Grok, together with Apple’s potential integration of Starlink connectivity, would make iPhones even more compelling.
Grok promises major Siri upgrades
The enthusiasm stems largely from Grok 4.1’s technical strengths, which include stronger reasoning and improved creative output. xAI also designed the model to reduce hallucinations, as noted in a Reality Tea report. Supporters believe these improvements could address Apple’s reported challenges developing its own advanced AI systems, giving Siri the upgrade many users have waited years for.
Reactions ranged from humorous to hopeful, with some users joking that Siri would finally “wake up with a personality” if paired with Grok. Siri, after all, was a trailblazer in voice assistants, but it is currently dominated by rivals in terms of features and capabilities. Grok could change that, provided that Apple is willing to collaborate with Elon Musk’s xAI.
Tesla celebrates 75k Superchargers, less than 5 months since 70k-stall milestone
Luminar-Volvo breakdown deepens as lidar maker warns of potential bankruptcy
