California's affordable used EV rebate? There are fewer than 40 qualifying vehicles for sale in the whole state

The MyFirstEV program launched in August. California put up $135.5 million, participating automakers match it dollar for dollar, and the money goes to Californians buying or leasing their first zero-emission vehicle. The discount comes off the price at the register, with no application and no waiting for a check.

But the program is geared primarily toward new electric vehicles, and the used component is far more limited in scope. The state set the rules, but each automaker decides where its matching money goes, and most chose new cars only. Of the 14 brands currently enrolled in MyFirstEV, only Ford, Volvo, Lucid and Rivian offer the used-car incentive; Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Lexus, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Genesis, Honda, Subaru and Nissan limit theirs to new models. In addition, only vehicles covered by the automaker’s certified pre-owned program are eligible.

So while there are thousands of used electric vehicles listed for under $25,000 in California, we scoured Autotrader, CarGurus and the automakers' own sites, and found only 32 that qualified for the $1,750 incentive. And other than a single certified used Volvo XC40 Recharge, all were Ford Mustang Mach-Es. With most automakers sitting out the used side, California’s affordable used EV discount is, in practice, a Mustang Mach-E discount.

We found dozens of qualifying listings for Rivian and Lucid models, but those California-based automakers aren’t subject to the $25,000 price cap on used models. The most affordable was listed at around $34,500.

How the used discount works

To get the $1,750 on a used EV, a few things have to line up:

• You have to be a California resident who has never owned or leased an EV. You sign a form at the dealer saying so, and that’s the whole process.
• The car has to be zero-emission (battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell; plug-in hybrids don’t count), priced at $25,000 or less (Rivian and Lucid notwithstanding) and at least two model years old, which right now means 2024 or older.
• It has to be that brand’s certified pre-owned car and sold by that brand’s own dealer (or directly). That rules out independent lots, CarMax, Carvana and private sellers, and it rules out a used Ford at a Toyota dealer.
• There has to be money left. Each automaker funds its own pot on a first-come, first-served basis, and when it runs dry, that brand’s discount stops. Tesla’s lasted five days.

Is the Mustang Mach-E a good car, at least?

Fortunately, the Mustang Mach-E is a good EV and worth buying used. MotorTrend rates it at 9.2, tied for the highest score it gives any EV. It also sits comfortably in the top half of Car and Driver’s and Kelley Blue Book’s rankings. Consumer Reports ranks it sixth of 32 EVs in reliability. Resale value is about average for an EV, but in the top half among its compact electric SUV competitors. And because certification is a program requirement, every eligible Mach-E comes with at least 12 months or 12,000 miles of comprehensive coverage from Ford.

Certification is the catch, though. About 130 used Mach-Es are listed under $25,000 in California, and roughly three in four don’t qualify. If you find one, ask the dealer whether it’s Ford-certified before you get attached.

“Of the 14 brands currently enrolled in MyFirstEV, only Ford, Volvo, Lucid and Rivian offer the used-car incentive.”

Is the MyFirstEV program worth it?

For new-EV shoppers, definitely. First-time buyers get $3,500 off a new EV, whether they buy or lease, as long as the model’s base price is $50,000 or less and the automaker has opted that model in. The cap is on the model, not the car: if the cheapest version starts under $50,000, a loaded one qualifies too. Fourteen brands take part: Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Lucid, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo. Tesla signed on too, but as we mentioned, its buyers used up its share of the money in five days. Mitsubishi is set to join later this year when it introduces its Nissan Leaf-based EV.

The list keeps changing: brands join, Tesla’s money ran out, and each automaker picks which of its models and trims take part. Rather than piecing that together from the state’s page and 14 automaker sites, use our MyFirstEV guide. It’s an updated list of every new and used model that qualifies, and we check each automaker’s program status daily.

For used-EV shoppers, it’s a closer call. The $1,750 isn’t nothing when “a limited supply of vehicles has forced prices up this year,” according to Kelley Blue Book’s Sean Tucker. The average used car listed for $27,239 in August, the highest since December 2022.

“California’s affordable used EV discount is, in practice, a Mustang Mach-E discount.”

But we advise against chasing the discount just for some “free money.” Shop the whole market on merit instead. You might find you prefer the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Tesla Model Y, for instance, and you could find one priced in line with what you’d pay for a similar Mustang Mach-E even after the discount.

With more than 3,000 used EVs priced under $25,000 for sale in California, and more than 400 of them certified, choices abound. If you’re shopping in Orange County, see the used EVs that qualify as Bestest.