Plug In America’s EV Support Program provides personalized assistance to those with questions about electric vehicles, charging, incentives, and more. Anyone may access this service one time for free and Plug In America members have unlimited access.
To get your EV questions answered by phone or email, contact the EV Support Program.
Below are some of the many questions we have answered through the EV Support Program.
How can I take advantage of the federal EV tax credit?
The federal government offers a tax credit of up to $7,500 for purchasers of plug-in vehicles. Those who lease an EV cannot take the credit directly, as it goes to the financial company that owns the vehicle, but some companies pass this credit along to the lessee through lower lease payments.
Because this incentive is a tax credit and not a rebate, your credit will be deducted from your taxes at the end of the year. To claim the tax credit, use IRS Form 8936 when filing your taxes at the end of the year. Please consult with your tax advisor.
The tax credit phases out for each automaker once they have sold 200,000 qualified EVs. As of August 2019, Tesla vehicles are only eligible for 25% of the credit through December 31, 2019. GM vehicles (including Chevy Bolt) are eligible for 50% of the credit through September 30, 2019, then 25% of the credit through March 31, 2020.
Plug In America is urging Congress to extend the federal EV tax credit. Visit our action alert to contact your representatives and make your voice heard!
I am taking delivery on a long-range, dual-motor Tesla Model 3 and am confused by the home charging options. What amp and charger will work best?
For most people, a 32 amp charger will suffice, which is the most common amperage. It goes on a 40 amp circuit.
In order to future-proof your home for the purchase of additional EVs, you might consider installing a 40-50 amp charger. If you plan on purchasing additional EVs in the future, also consider adding another 40 amp circuit for charging a second car in a similar fashion on a separate charging station. You can also buy a charging station with two connectors that shares the single 40 amp circuit, which would deliver the full amperage if one car is plugged in but allow two cars to charge simultaneously at half the power.
While sharing one 40 amp circuit should suffice for most people with two EVs, a final option is perhaps setting aside 100 amps for two chargers, even if you only have one EV at this point. For some homes, though, setting aside 100 amps is impossible or very expensive and probably isn’t necessary.
For information on charging equipment, visit PlugStar.com/chargers.
I am thinking about converting my roadster Triumph 1960 TR3A. If successful would I be considered to have tax credit?
Mike had a question about a letter from the dealer. I wanted to follow up that I don’t see any requirement for this on the irs form – https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8936.pdf – It just asks a series of questions related to your purchase and the credit amount. Regards
I just bought a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV, which qualifies for $6587 federal tax credit. IRS form 8936 instructions refer to an IRS certification letter for the tax credit that the IRS provides each manufacturer to then provide to the vehicle buyer. My dealership seems clueless about this certification letter. Have other EV buyers received copies of such a certification letter for use with form 8936 to file for the federal tax credit?
So, if I stop making monthly irs payments on my paycheck , then I can make use of the fed tax credit from the rav 4 tax credit ?
This is crazy. What person normally has a $7500 tax liability? I’ve seen ways you can get creative with this, but they are really only available to those that are doing well financially. It would be nice if the average guy could go buy an EV and just get a refund. I’ve been working on a lease of an EV and most of the dealers don’t even know what this credit is. And they surely can’t explain the real tax relief that an individual might get. If I was a salesman I would get to know this well. It could be a huge selling point and get some EVs on the road!
If i buy a 2021 Rav 4 Prime before the end of the year,I know it qualifies for the full tax credit. Can this credit come in the form of a refund from the IRS or can it only be applied to a tax liability/bill?
Hi Brian, unfortunately, the tax credit can only be applied to a tax liability. It cannot be issued as a rebate. We have pushed to make it a rebate, as many states have done, but it currently is only a tax credit.
Is there a credit on Toyota Rav 4 Prime?
Hi Leonard,
Great question! Yes, customers of the Toyota RAV4 Prime will qualify for the federal EV tax credit. If you have any other questions about EVs or incentives, please email our EV Support Program at support@pluginamerica.org.
we purchase plug-in motor vehicle in 2019/12/22 . can we extension the federal tax credit on to 2020 tax report?
Hi Kaimin, We recommend consulting with your tax advisor about any specific questions related to your situation.