The EV tax credit may be going away, but Rivian EVs could still qualify in 2026, including the R2
While the current majority in DC shared intentions to likely kill the existing $7,500 federal EV tax credit, some language in a (very fluid) proposal suggests that not all automakers will be immediately affected. For example, Rivian is an American automaker whose sales are young enough that US consumers might still be able to take advantage of the tax credit, and that could also include the upcoming R2 EVs.
The past two years, federal tax credits for EV sales through the Inflation Reduction Act have done wonders for US adoption, helping give consumers the last little push they needed to go all-electric with at least one vehicle in their home.
It was great while it lasted.
These days, the current administration has its sights set on a delusional idea of “success” from the past, trying to breathe new life into dying industries like coal and, yes, combustion vehicles. EV adoption was never going to happen overnight, but recent discussions among the GOP stating it is likely to kill the federal EV tax credit is disheartening news.
We’ve already long-surpassed “critical mass” in the US adoption process, so it’s a fair wager that EVs are here to stay and will continue increasing their market presence. While most makes and models are likely to be disqualified from federal EV tax credits after 2025 (only about 20 or so currently qualify these days), some proposed exceptions in place will allow credits to continue for American companies like Rivian, for example.
Proposal states Rivian EVs could qualify for tax credits after 2025
According to Reddit user u/FiveDollarHoller, they are a lobbyist in the midst of Washington’s discussions to repeal the federal EV tax credit. According to the post, the US House Ways and Means Committee will finalize its tax title this week.
According to proposal shared by reliable source close to the lobbyist, a slew of credits will be eliminated on December 31, 2025, including the following:
- Used EV credit
- Clean Vehicle Credit
- Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit
- Alernative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Proprty Credit
We share the same sentiment as the lobbyist in that this proposal remains fluid and discussions are ongoing, so the details of these plans could have already changed by now and most likely will change before everything is approved through the necessary government channels.
One interesting tidbit in the current proposal is an exception within the $7,500 Clean Vehicle Credit for OEMs that have not sold 200,000 vehicles by December 31, 2025. If that exception makes its way into the final legislature, EVs from Rivian, including the R1S and R1T, could still qualify for tax credits.
Better still, Rivian recently shared that it remains on track to begin scaled production and deliveries of its second flagship model, the R2, in 2026, meaning customers of that BEV could also qualify for federal tax credits.
At the end of 2024, Rivian had sold 51,579 compared to 50,122 a year prior and 20,332 deliveries in 2022. Per its recent Q1 2025 quarterly report, the American automaker targets 40,000 to 46,000 deliveries in 2025. By those numbers, that puts Rivian around approximately 168,033 total deliveries if it hits the high end of its 2025 outlook.
As such, Rivian’s numbers would fall below the 200,000 sales threshold outlined in the current proposal. Again, this is hearsay at most until we get a legitimate proposal publicized by the Capitol. Still, it’s a noteworthy potential perk for companies like Rivian if it comes to fruition. It could also incentivize more US consumers to purchase a Rivian since it could be one of the only OEMs that still qualify (along with Lucid, probably).
Per the IRS, despite being built in Normal, Illinois, the Rivian R1 models are not listed as qualified BEVs for the $7,500 tax credit. We will have to see how this all plays out in the coming days and months.
Per the Reddit post, the complete text of the EV tax credit repeal proposal is supposed to be shared today (Monday) at 2 PM. Once a bona fide proposal is in place, it will still need to be approved by the House Ways and Means Committee, then the House, followed by the Senate (which may be a lot more challenging to get approved).
We will monitor this process closely, which will likely last well into 2025, and will report on what EVs (if any) may still qualify for federal tax credits next year and whether that will include Rivian. Regardless, if you’re pondering the idea of purchasing a BEV (Rivian or not), you should try to take delivery before the end of the year because the federal EV tax credit doesn’t appear long for this world.
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New EVs got a little more expensive in April, and consumers saw fewer deals than before, according to new estimates from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book.
In April, the average transaction price (ATP) for a new EV climbed to $59,255. That’s up 3.7% from the same time last year, and slightly higher, by 0.2%, than in March. Kelley Blue Book even revised March’s average price downward to $59,132.
Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, noted that “Ever since President Trump announced auto tariffs 47 days ago, the cost of new cars has been steadily climbing.”
At the same time, incentives took another dip. They made up just 11.6% of the average EV transaction price in April, down from 13.9% when they peaked in November 2024. This marks the second month in a row that EV incentives have declined.
Tesla led the way in May, selling more than 45,000 EVs – its best performance of the year so far. Most of those sales came from the updated Model Y, which continues to dominate the US EV market. Tesla’s average transaction price rose in April to $56,120, up both month over month and year over year.
Meanwhile, the Cybertruck, once the top-selling EV priced over $100,000, had an average sales price of $89,247 last month. But sales dropped below 2,000 units for the first time in a year, signaling a potential cool-off for the controversial pickup.
Overall, new EV sales in April were down nearly 6% from March, based on Kelley Blue Book’s early estimates. But year-to-date EV sales in 2025 are still up 5.4% compared to the same period in 2024.
Read more: Tesla Model 3 and Model Y prices rose higher in March as sales fell
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The EV3 is already one of the top-selling EVs in Europe and Korea, but when will Kia bring it to the US? After it was recently spotted testing on US streets, the Kia EV3 could finally make its North American debut soon. Here’s what we know.
When will the Kia EV3 make its North American debut?
Kia’s compact electric SUV was again the top-selling EV in Korea last month. It’s also currently among the best-selling electric cars in Europe.
Kia sold 27,761 EVs in Europe in the first quarter, up 17% from the previous record set in Q3 2023. The EV3 led the surge with 17,878 models sold, or 64% of Kia’s total electric vehicle sales in the region.
In March, the EV3 was also the best-selling retail electric car in the UK, driving Kia’s EVs to a record 21% share of its total sales. With the EV3 rolling out in other global markets, like Australia and New Zealand, when will it finally arrive in the US?
After the Kia EV3 was recently spotted testing on US streets, its North American debut could finally be coming up soon.
The new video from KindelAuto shows the 2026 Kia EV6 GT-Line trim, but with what appears to be the US-spec model. Despite the camo, you can see the EV3 has minor design changes, like added orange side reflectors, which are likely to meet regulations.
Although Kia has yet to confirm it, the EV3 could make its North American debut as early as later this year and launch in early 2026. Prices will be revealed closer to its debut, but the EV3 will likely start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Kia’s smaller electric SUV starts at around 36,000 euros ($40,000) in Europe and roughly $30,700 in Korea (KRW 42.08 million).
In the meantime, those in North America will see Kia’s first electric sedan, the EV4, arrive next year. Kia confirmed the 2026 EV4 will have a built-in NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers and an estimated driving range of up to 330 miles. Prices are also expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Source: KindelAuto, TheKoreanCarBlog
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Less than a year after officially launching in the US, the 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron has received its safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). According to the German automaker, its compact luxury crossover has been awarded Top Safety Pick+ status—the highest possible rating from the IIHS.
The Q6 e-tron remains the newest edition to Audi’s long-running all-electric segment of sedans, GTs, and SUVs. We first caught wind of it back in March 2024 when Audi teased a shadowy image while promising the Q6 e-tron would “overtake expectations.”
The 2025 Q6 e-tron made its official debut last September. The lineup includes an RWD version that delivers the longest range (321 miles) of any Audi BEV. At that point, the Q6 e-tron had received a five-star safety rating from the Euro NCAP, but until today, we were still awaiting its rating from the IIHS.
Today, Audi confirmed that the 2025 Q6 e-tron is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ – the best you can get.
Audi Q6 e-tron wins Top Safety Pick+ amidst higher criteria
When announcing the award status from the IIHS, Audi pointed out that the US institute altered its Top Safety Pick+ criteria for 2025 models, making the top-tier award harder to achieve. This included a new focus on rear-passenger safety and a moderate overlap front collision test, which simulates a head-on collision, whereas the test vehicle strikes a vehicle of equal size and weight at 40 mph with 40% of the front widths of those vehicles overlapping.
The compact crossover achieved a “good” (the highest IIHS) rating on all tests, warranting the Top Safety Pick+ status. As such, the IIHS has deemed the Q6 e-tron one of the safest all-electric models on the road.
The 2025 Q6 e-tron starts at $63,800 in the US and is currently available in three trimlines and a Premium quattro powertrain configuration.
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