Time running out to claim $7,500 EV tax credit

If you’ve been thinking about buying a new electric vehicle, there’s a new reason to move quickly — a $7,500 federal tax credit on qualifying models that’s now set to expire in September.

The Clean Vehicle Tax Credit offers up to $7,500 for eligible electrified vehicles, including Kia’s highly rated, tech-loaded 2025 EV6 and 2026 EV9. To get the credit, vehicles must be built in North America, fall under specific MSRP caps and meet strict sourcing requirements for battery components and critical minerals.

The credit was originally set to continue through the end of 2032, but that timeline changed dramatically when Congress approved a sweeping federal budget reconciliation bill in July.Consumers now have to purchase and take delivery of their new EV by Sept. 30.

The shortened deadline has created “a ‘hurry-up-and-buy’ ‘limited-time-offer’ kind of dynamic” to get the government incentives, said Ari Matusiak, CEO of the nonprofit Rewiring America, in a recent interview with NPR.

“If you want to access them, then really you need to get going,” Matusiak said.

Kia’s all-electric 2025 EV6 and 2026 EV9 (excluding the high-performance GT variants) qualify for the full $7,500 thanks in part to the company’s recent $217 million expansion of its West Point, Georgia assembly plant. The three-row EV9 started production at the Georgia plant in May 2024 and the EV6 started rolling off the line in January 2025.

What buyers need to know about the tax credit

The Clean Vehicle Tax credit was introduced in 2022 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, with rules designed to prioritize EVs and plug-in hybrids made in North America and grow domestic battery supply chains. The rules include:

• Price limits. To be eligible for the tax credit, electrified pickup trucks, vans and SUVs must have an MSRP of $80,000 or less, while hatchbacks, wagons and sedans must have an MSRP of $55,000 or less. Kia’s 2026 EV9 three-row SUV has a starting MSRP of $54,900, which translates to $47,400 after the tax credit. The 2025 EV6 CUV has a starting MSRP of $42,900, or $35,400 after the credit.
• Assembly must happen in North America. Vehicles have to be built in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. It doesn’t matter which brand makes it — only where it’s assembled. The Georgia-built 2026 EV9 and 2025 EV6 fit that criteria and the EV6 far exceeds it, with 80% of its parts coming from the U.S./Canda — the most of any vehicle in the U.S., according to a 2025 report released under the American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA.) The AALA requires all cars to include a label that lets consumers know where a vehicle is made, who assembles it and where most of the parts come from.
• Battery sourcing. To get the full credit, at least 50% of the battery’s components must be produced or assembled in North America. On top of that, at least 40% of the critical minerals used in the battery must come from the U.S. or a country with a U.S. free trade agreement, or from materials recycled in North America.
• Income caps. Buyers qualify only if their adjusted gross income is within set limits: up to $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, up to $225,000 for heads of household, and up to $150,000 for individual filers. (Different rules may apply when a vehicle is leased.)
• Certain supply chains are off-limits. Vehicles containing battery components sourced from “foreign entities of concern” — including companies tied to the governments of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia — do not qualify. Automakers must track their supply chains, and the IRS determines which vehicles meet the rules.

Under current IRS rules, the credit gets approved and applied like a discount at the time of sale through a participating dealership — not claimed later on a tax return.

Why the EV6 and EV9 stand out

Kia’s 2025 EV6 and 2026 EV9 are more than just compliant with the tax credit rules — they’re fully realized EVs that deliver exceptional range, performance and advanced technology.

The 2025 EV6 features a refreshed design, longer range and faster charging. It’s also one of the first Kia models to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS), allowing direct access to Tesla Supercharger stations. Some of the updates to the 2025 EV6 include:

• Up to 319 miles of driving range with the top 84kW battery
• Power increases to 225 hp with 258 foot-pounds of torque (RWD), 320 hp with 446 foot-pounds of torque (AWD), and 601 hp with 545 foot-pounds of torque (GT)
• A connected car navigation cockpit with dual curved 12.3-inch displays powered by a next-generation infotainment system
• Star Map lighting at the rear 3D taillights and wing-shaped rear bumper
• A more premium interior environment with a redesigned device charging pad and D-shaped steering wheel
• Steering with hands-on detection when using Level II semiautonomous drive system
• Tesla Supercharger compatibility

The EV9 three-row SUV, with seating for up to seven, has impressive power and a suite of tech-forward features that have earned it major accolades since it debuted in 2004. The 2026 EV9 delivers:

• Up to 305 miles of driving range
• 379 hp and 516 foot-pounds of torque
• A built-in NACS charging port
• 81.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity with rear seats folded
• A digital cockpit with nearly 30 inches of panoramic combined displays
• Advanced driver-assist safety features including auto emergency braking technology
• Wireless phone charger and six USB-C fast charging ports

For more information or to find a Kia dealer near you visit kia.com/us/en/offers.

The news and editorial staffs of Southern California News Group and The San Diego Union-Tribune had no role in this post’s preparation.