MyFirstEV eligible cars: every new and used EV that qualifies for California's discount

Which cars qualify for California's EV rebate (MyFirstEV)?

Each automaker chose whether to offer the $3,500 new-car discount, the $1,750 used-car discount, or both, and each funds its own share. When a brand’s money runs out, its cars stop qualifying even if the state still has money. Tesla’s lasted five days.

Looking aheadThese models are scheduled to arrive later, and automaker launch dates slip.

Brand status from CARB’s participating-manufacturers page (revised September 25, 2026). Models from each automaker’s own MyFirstEV page. New cars must be a model with a base MSRP of $50,000 or less (the cheapest version’s sticker price; pricier trims of that model still qualify unless the automaker excludes them), and each automaker chooses which of its models take part. Used cars must be the automaker’s certified car, at least two model years old, with a purchase price of $25,000 or less (Rivian and Lucid are exempt from both price caps). Not in the program: Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Polestar, Acura, Mazda and MINI.

One thing the table can’t show: whether a brand’s money is still there the day you shop. Ask the dealer, and get the answer in writing.

Who qualifies

• You’re a California resident with a California driver’s license and address, and the car will be registered in California.
• You have never owned or leased a zero-emission vehicle. That includes in another state, and it includes being listed on the title or registration of someone else’s EV.
• You’re buying or leasing as an individual. Rivian, for example, excludes business purchases.
• One discount per person, for the life of the program.
• There’s no income limit.

You confirm all of this by signing CARB’s self-attestation form at the dealer, under penalty of perjury.

The rules for new EVs

• The discountIt’s $3,500, made up of $1,750 from the state and $1,750 from the automaker.
• The carIt has to be a 2026 or newer zero-emission vehicle, which means a battery-electric car. Plug-in hybrids don’t count, because they have gas engines.
• The price capThe model’s base MSRP has to be $50,000 or less. That’s the sticker price of the cheapest version, before options, destination, taxes and fees. CARB confirmed to us that the cap applies to the model, not to the car on the lot: if a model starts under $50,000, every trim of it qualifies, including a loaded $70,000 one, unless the automaker excludes that trim. The reverse is also true. A model that starts over $50,000 doesn’t qualify even if the dealer discounts it below that.
• The exceptionCalifornia-headquartered EV makers have no cap. That means Rivian and Lucid, which is why a Rivian R1S qualifies at any price.
• Which modelsEach automaker chooses which of its models and trims take part, so a car under the cap can still miss out. Hyundai offers the discount on the Ioniq 5 but not the Kona Electric, and Lexus names specific RZ and ES trims. Our table lists only what each automaker has named, and notes the trims an automaker leaves out.
• Where to buyGo to a participating brand’s franchised dealer, or buy directly from the automaker if the brand sells that way.
• TimingCars ordered or bought before a brand joined don’t count.

The rules for used EVs, and why so few cars qualify

• The discountIt’s $1,750, made up of $875 from the state and $875 from the automaker.
• The price capHere it’s the actual purchase price, not the MSRP: what you pay has to be $25,000 or less, again with no cap for Rivian or Lucid.
• The age ruleThe car has to be at least two model years older than the year you buy it. In 2026, that means a 2024 or older.
• The certification ruleIt has to be the automaker’s own certified pre-owned car, sold by that brand’s franchised dealer or by the automaker directly. A dealer’s in-house “certified” label doesn’t count, and neither do independent lots, CarMax, Carvana or private sellers.
• The brand ruleOnly Ford, Volvo, Rivian and Lucid currently offer the used discount. Every other brand chose new cars only.

That leaves four kinds of used car: a Ford-certified Mustang Mach-E, a 2024 Volvo-certified XC40 Recharge or C40 Recharge, a 2024 or older pre-owned Rivian R1T or R1S, and a 2024 or older pre-owned Lucid Air. Any Ford Blue Advantage certified EV technically qualifies, but only Mach-Es come in under $25,000. Volvo’s is 2024 models only, so a 2023 doesn’t qualify even though it’s old enough. A used Tesla, Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 or Volkswagen ID.4 doesn’t qualify, however it’s certified.

Stack those gates up and the pool gets small fast. When we counted every listing in the state, fewer than 40 qualifying used EVs were for sale under $25,000. Most used EVs under $25,000 come from brands that chose new cars only, sit on independent lots, or carry a dealer’s own certification instead of the automaker’s, and none of those qualify. Rivian and Lucid have no price cap, but their qualifying used cars generally start well above $25,000.

Where to find themSearch Ford’s certified Mach-Es under $25,000 (that link searches all of California and a sliver of neighboring states), Certified by Volvo EVs (sorted cheapest first; only those at $25,000 or less qualify), Rivian pre-owned and Lucid pre-owned.

How to claim it, step by step

1. Confirm you're a first-time EV buyer. Any EV you've ever owned or leased, in any state, disqualifies you.
2. Pick a qualifying car. Check the table above, then confirm the exact model and trim with the dealer.
3. Check that the brand's money is still there. Funding is first come, first served, per brand. Ask the dealer whether it's still live.
4. Do any brand-specific prep. Volvo asks you to generate a Volvo PIN online before visiting the retailer. Rivian and Lucid apply the discount in their online order.
5. Bring your California driver's license and proof of address.
6. Sign CARB's self-attestation form at the dealer, confirming you've never owned or leased an EV.
7. Get the discount in writing. The $3,500 or $1,750 should appear as its own line. Confirm it when you agree on a price, then check it's on the contract before you sign.
8. Register the car in California. Cars delivered or registered out of state don't qualify.

Questions to ask the dealer

• Does this exact model and trim qualify for MyFirstEV?
• Is the brand’s MyFirstEV money still available today?
• Is the discount on top of your current price, or already built into it?
• Is sales tax calculated before or after the discount? Lucid’s fine print, for one, says tax may apply to part of the incentive.
• For a used car: is it the automaker’s own certified pre-owned car, and is it two model years old or older?
• For a lease: how will the discount show up in the lease terms?

What stacks with it

CARB says MyFirstEV can be combined with its other vehicle programs and with incentives from outside CARB. The ones worth checking:

• The state’s income-qualified programsClean Cars 4 All and the Driving Clean Assistance Program can add grants or low-interest financing.
• Your electric utility’s EV rebateSouthern California Edison, for example, pays $1,000 toward a pre-owned EV, or $4,000 for income-qualified customers, if you apply within 180 days and keep the car registered to you. PG&E and SDG&E run similar programs for their customers.
• Automaker and dealer dealsRivian says its MyFirstEV discount combines with its other public offers. Lucid’s can’t be combined with its Go Electric credit for out-of-state buyers.

The federal EV tax credits ended September 30, 2025, so there’s no federal money to add.

Ways people miss out

• They’ve had an EV beforeThat includes owning one briefly, owning one in another state, or being a co-owner on the title.
• They buy the wrong kind of “certified.”A dealer’s own certification, or a Ford dealer’s Blue Certified Hyundai, doesn’t count.
• They buy used from the wrong sellerIndependent lots, CarMax, Carvana and private parties don’t qualify.
• They pick a plug-in hybridIt has a gas engine, so it doesn’t count.
• They order too earlyCars ordered before the brand joined the program don’t qualify.
• They assume the price cap is on the carIt’s on the model. A loaded version of a model that starts under $50,000 qualifies unless the automaker says otherwise, and a discounted version of a model that starts over $50,000 doesn’t.
• They wait too longEach brand’s money is first come, first served, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.
• They register the car out of stateThat disqualifies it, and the same goes for leases.

Funding and deadlines

• LaunchCARB announced the program August 7, 2026, with brands joining on a rolling basis through the fall. Mitsubishi is set to join in November.
• How muchThe state put in $135.5 million and the automakers match it, enough for more than 73,000 discounts. Each brand gets its own allocation.
• First come, first servedWhen a brand’s money is gone, its discount stops. Tesla started taking orders August 3, and its allocation was gone by August 8.
• The endThe money must be spent by September 1, 2031, but at Tesla’s pace, it won’t last anywhere near that long.

MyFirstEV FAQ